Translation and cultural adaptation of the Stigma-Devaluation scale for use among family caregivers of mentally ill relatives in Jordan

Background/significance. Mental illness stigma is a matter of great concern to family caregivers. Few research studies have been conducted in the Arab World on family caregivers\u27 perception of stigma associated with caring for a mentally ill relative. Review of the literature on measurement of the concept of stigma related to caring for a mentally ill relative yielded no instrument appropriate for use in a Jordanian sample. Reliable and valid instruments to measure stigma perception among family caregivers are needed for research and practice, particularly in Arabic speaking populations. Purpose. The purposes of this study were: (1) translate the Stigma-Devaluation scale (SDS) into Arabic, modifying it to accurately reflect the cultural parameters specific to Jordan, and (2) test the reliability, the content and construct validity of the Arabic version of the SDS for use among a sample of family members of mentally ill relatives in Jordan. Design. Methodologic, cross-sectional. Methods. The SDS was translated into Arabic language, modified and culturally adapted to the Jordanian culture by a translation model which incorporates a cultural adaptation process. The Arabic SDS was evaluated in a sample of 164 family caregivers in the outpatient mental health clinic in Irbid-Jordan. Cronbach\u27s alpha estimation of internal consistency was used to assess the reliability of the SDS. Construct validity was determined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Measurements of content validity and reading level of the Arabic SDS were included. Findings. Content Validity Index was determined to be 1.0. Reading level of the Arabic SDS was considered at a 6th grade or lower Cronbach\u27s alpha coefficient of the modified Arabic SDS total scale was .87. Initial results of CFA did not fully support the proposed factor structures of the SDS or its subscales. After modifications, the indices indicated that the modified model of each subscale had satisfactory fit. Conclusion. This study provided psychometric evidence that the modified Arabic SDS translated and culturally adapted instrument, is valid and conceptually consistent with the content of the original English SDS in measuring stigma perception among families of mentally ill relatives in Jordan

Social cognitive elements of mental illness stigma among healthcare professionals currently working in general hospitals: A cross‐sectional study from Jordan

Abstract Aim To assess the social cognitive elements of the stigma of mental illness (knowledge, attitudes and behaviours) among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Jordan. Design A cross‐sectional descriptive design. Methods A total of 206 HCPs were conveniently recruited from general hospitals in Jordan. The mental attitude, knowledge and intended behaviours scales were used to measure stigma elements. Results Participants reported a moderate level of knowledge, a moderate negative attitude and a moderate or not greater interest to deal with people with mental health illnesses. The bivariate correlation revealed a negative significant correlation between HCPs' knowledge and attitude, indicating that HCPs with more knowledge significantly have more positive attitude (lower average score) towards those suffering from the illness. A more significant correlation was found between HCPs' knowledge and behaviour. The HCPs who had more knowledge were holding more interest and willingness towards dealing with persons with mental illness. Patient or Public Contribution Negative attitudes among HCPs demand awareness programmes pertaining to the stigma of mental illness to afford higher standards of practice for patients with mental problems

Social discrimination perception of health-care workers and ordinary people toward individuals with COVID-19

The purpose of this study is to explore perception of social discrimination among ordinary people and health-care workers toward individuals with COVID-19 in Jordan. A cross-sectional descriptive-comparative design was used to collect data from a convenience sample of 272 ordinary people and 109 HCWs utilizing an online survey format. HCWs reported low to medium social discrimination (SDS) level, while ordinary people reported a higher level with statistical difference (t = 8.64, p <.001). SDS had positive and significant correlation with years of experience, specialty of nursing, education and area of working among HCWs. The study signifies the social discrimination associated with COVID-19 among ordinary people and healthcare workers. Implications to health practices and public policies discussed