Investigation of the Psychometric Properties of the Stigma Section of the Family Interview Schedule

Investigation of the psychometric properties of the stigma section of the Family Interview ScheduleE ffectively addressing chronic mental illness involves more than just control of symptoms and management of disabilities; it also includes social acceptance of the patient and their family members.[1,2] Numerous studies have shown that patients with chronic mental health problems and their relatives are widely affected by stereotypes and prejudices.[3][4][5][6][7][8] Family members are the most important source of support for patients; however, stigma can contribute to a degradation of their own mental health, including depression and emotional distancing from the stigmatized relative.[8] Social stigma and discrimination can have a cascading adverse effect.Family members often experience self-stigmatization/internalized stigma as a result of socially accepted stereotypes.[2] Objectives: The aim of this study was to adapt the stigma subdimension of the Family Interview Schedule (FIS) developed for a World Health Organization study for use with a Turkish population and to conduct a validity and reliability assessment of the instrument. Methods:The study sample consisted of 141 family members who presented at the Adult Psychiatry Inpatient and Outpatient Unit of a university hospital and the Izmir Schizophrenia Solidarity Association between May 2019 and November 2020 who met the sampling criteria.The inclusion criteria were age >18 years, literacy, family member of a patient with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or a mood disorder.Internal consistency analysis and test-retest analysis were performed to assess reliability, and validity was evaluated using language validity analysis, content validity analysis, and exploratory factor analysis.Results: The content validity index of the stigma section of the FIS was 0.96, and a Cronbach alpha level of 0.81 was determined.The Spearman correlation coefficient of test-retest reliability between 2 measurements was 0.86. Conclusion:The results of the present study demonstrated that the Turkish version of the stigma section of the FIS created is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to assess the stigma experiences of family members of people with chronic mental illness in Turkey.