Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students
ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE We tested the reliability and validity of the Perceived Stress Scale, an online questionnaire, among college students from low-income Brazilian regions. METHODS We assessed 195 college students from a region with a Gini index of 0.56 for the validity study and a subsample of 1...
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Universidade de São Paulo
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Revista de Saúde Pública |
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| author | Ana Clara Arrais Rosa Lorrane Cristine Conceição da Silva Jacyara Christina Carvalho Azevedo Rhavenna Thais Silva Oliveira Ruhena Kelber Abrão Ferreira Maíra Tristão Parra Heráclito Barbosa Carvalho Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes Marcus Vinícius Nascimento-Ferreira |
| author_facet | Ana Clara Arrais Rosa Lorrane Cristine Conceição da Silva Jacyara Christina Carvalho Azevedo Rhavenna Thais Silva Oliveira Ruhena Kelber Abrão Ferreira Maíra Tristão Parra Heráclito Barbosa Carvalho Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes Marcus Vinícius Nascimento-Ferreira |
| author_sort | Ana Clara Arrais Rosa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE We tested the reliability and validity of the Perceived Stress Scale, an online questionnaire, among college students from low-income Brazilian regions. METHODS We assessed 195 college students from a region with a Gini index of 0.56 for the validity study and a subsample of 117 students for the reliability study, where we evaluated the Perceived Stress Scale with the 14 original items. We also applied the shortened version of the Brief Symptom Inventory with 18 items (BSI-18). The psychometric properties analyzed, including temporal stability, internal consistency, and structural and convergent validity, were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, unsupervised machine learning, and confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS The questionnaire showed acceptable reliability (temporal stability [rho ≥ 0.32] and internal consistency [alpha ≥ 0.79]). In construct validity, we identified two clusters, “helplessness” and “self-efficacy”, as structure solutions for our sample via unsupervised machine learning. An acceptable fit for the two-factor structure of the scale was indicated by multiple indices (chi-square/degrees of freedom [χ2/df] = 119/76; Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] = 0.916; Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.930; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.054; standardized root mean-squared residual [SRMR] = 0.078)) on confirmatory factor analysis. Moreover, convergent validity was supported by significant correlations of the BSI-18 Global Severity Index score with perception of helplessness (rho = 0.71) and self-efficacy (rho = -0.42). CONCLUSION The Perceived Stress Scale, which is an online tool, is a reliable and valid self-report tool for college students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0c5e23c1fa514af8b2ea08ec82febfcb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1518-8787 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Universidade de São Paulo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista de Saúde Pública |
| spelling | doaj-art-0c5e23c1fa514af8b2ea08ec82febfcb2025-08-20T02:26:02ZengUniversidade de São PauloRevista de Saúde Pública1518-87872025-03-015910.11606/s1518-8787.2025059005974Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college studentsAna Clara Arrais Rosahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9995-9144Lorrane Cristine Conceição da Silvahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8898-247XJacyara Christina Carvalho Azevedohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7611-5734Rhavenna Thais Silva Oliveirahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8380-6867Ruhena Kelber Abrão Ferreirahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5280-6263Maíra Tristão Parrahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5734-4272Heráclito Barbosa Carvalhohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7037-5655Augusto César Ferreira de Moraeshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5763-435XMarcus Vinícius Nascimento-Ferreirahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6344-1044ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE We tested the reliability and validity of the Perceived Stress Scale, an online questionnaire, among college students from low-income Brazilian regions. METHODS We assessed 195 college students from a region with a Gini index of 0.56 for the validity study and a subsample of 117 students for the reliability study, where we evaluated the Perceived Stress Scale with the 14 original items. We also applied the shortened version of the Brief Symptom Inventory with 18 items (BSI-18). The psychometric properties analyzed, including temporal stability, internal consistency, and structural and convergent validity, were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, unsupervised machine learning, and confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS The questionnaire showed acceptable reliability (temporal stability [rho ≥ 0.32] and internal consistency [alpha ≥ 0.79]). In construct validity, we identified two clusters, “helplessness” and “self-efficacy”, as structure solutions for our sample via unsupervised machine learning. An acceptable fit for the two-factor structure of the scale was indicated by multiple indices (chi-square/degrees of freedom [χ2/df] = 119/76; Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] = 0.916; Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.930; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.054; standardized root mean-squared residual [SRMR] = 0.078)) on confirmatory factor analysis. Moreover, convergent validity was supported by significant correlations of the BSI-18 Global Severity Index score with perception of helplessness (rho = 0.71) and self-efficacy (rho = -0.42). CONCLUSION The Perceived Stress Scale, which is an online tool, is a reliable and valid self-report tool for college students.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102025000100206&lng=en&tlng=enMental HealthPsychometricsAdultIncomeUnsupervised Machine Learning |
| spellingShingle | Ana Clara Arrais Rosa Lorrane Cristine Conceição da Silva Jacyara Christina Carvalho Azevedo Rhavenna Thais Silva Oliveira Ruhena Kelber Abrão Ferreira Maíra Tristão Parra Heráclito Barbosa Carvalho Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes Marcus Vinícius Nascimento-Ferreira Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students Revista de Saúde Pública Mental Health Psychometrics Adult Income Unsupervised Machine Learning |
| title | Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students |
| title_full | Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students |
| title_fullStr | Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students |
| title_short | Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students |
| title_sort | validity of perceived stress scale in brazilian low income college students |
| topic | Mental Health Psychometrics Adult Income Unsupervised Machine Learning |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102025000100206&lng=en&tlng=en |
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