OBJECTIVES

To translate, validate, and adapt the diabetes distress scale (DDS)-17 to a Saudi Arabian (SA) DDS (SADDS-17). Also, to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly adapted SADDS-17.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study evaluating the psychometric properties of the DDS. The DDS was translated using the forward-backward translation from English to Arabic at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January 2016. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, testretest reliability, and construct validity. Moreover, contingent validity was evaluated using hospital anxiety and depression scale, visual analogue scale, and the World Health Organization quality of life assessment instrument.

RESULTS

A total of 109 participants were included in this study. The exploratory factor analysis of our Arabic scale supported the original DDS with 4 sub-scales. Correlations ranged from 0.376 to 0.718 for items in regimen-related distress, 0.327 to 0.533 for items in emotional burden, 0.413 to 0.722 for items in physician-related distress, and 0.492 to 0.556 for items in interpersonal distress. The Cronbach's alpha value of the SADDS was 0.848 for the total scale. The test-retest reliability value was 0.78.

CONCLUSION

Our SADDS is a valid and reliable instrument for detecting diabetes distress among Saudi Arabian patients with type 2 diabetes.