Cultural adaptation and validation of the stigma of suicide scale–short Form (SOSS-SF) in Kazakh and Russian among the population of Kazakhstan

Suicide remains a serious public health problem in Kazakhstan, where high suicide rates and limited mental-health resources are exacerbated by strong social stigma. This study aimed to culturally adapt and validate the Stigma of Suicide Scale-Short Form (SOSS-SF) in Kazakh and Russian. The adaptation was conducted within a quantitative research design, with culturally sensitive translation and psychometric validation. Following international guidelines, the translated and adapted scale was administered to two adult samples (n = 722, Russian; n = 644, Kazakh). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed a stable three-factor structure: Stigmatization, Isolation/Depression, and Glorification/Normalization. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α = 0.72-0.88). Cultural differences included the item "an embarrassment" loading onto the Isolation/Depression factor and the exclusion of "dedicated" in the Kazakh version. Both versions demonstrated strong psychometric performance and are the first validated tools for assessing suicide stigma in Kazakhstan.