Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade, Visokog Stevana 2, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Epilepsy Behav. 2023 Dec;149:109520. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109520. Epub 2023 Nov 8.
To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Serbian-language version of the Stigma Scale of Epilepsy (SSE).
The sample consisted of 108 patients with epilepsy (PWE) (60.2 % were female, age range: 19-67 years) and 102 students (86.3 % were female, age range: 18-47 years). The study encompassed two phases: (1) translation of the SSE into Serbian using the back-translation technique, and (2) evaluation of reliability and construct validity of the Serbian-language version of SSE. In addition to the SSE, the PWE filled out a Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). The socio-demographic and clinical variables were noted for each patient by the semistructured interview. Besides completing the SSE, the students were asked if they knew anyone with epilepsy. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by assessing the internal consistency of the scale (Cronbach's α), while construct validity was assessed by factor analysis, method of known-groups validation, and correlation analysis.
SSE demonstrates a satisfactory level of reliability in both samples, with Cronbach's α of 0.86 in the PWE sample and 0.90 in the student sample. Using exploratory factor analysis, four factors were identified in both samples, corresponding relatively well with the scale domains originally produced, with a few exceptions described. Adverse effects (AEs) of antiseizure medications (ASMs) and driving ability significantly influenced SSE scores, but there were no significant effects of other socio-demographic and clinical variables on epilepsy-related stigma in the PWE sample. In addition, depression severity significantly influenced SSE scores (based on NDDI-E cut-off score), with the SSE showing a positive association with PHQ-9 (r = 0.42, p < .001) and GAD-7 (r = 0.35, p < .001) as well. Regarding the student sample, the effects of personal knowledge of someone with epilepsy on SSE scores were found to be significant. Besides, students (M = 46.28, SD = 16.43) reported higher epilepsy-related stigma than patients (M = 40.66, SD = 17.01), t(208) = 2.43, p < .05, d = 0.34.
The Serbian version of the SSE has good psychometric properties and represents a useful tool for assessing epilepsy-related stigma in both patients and the general population.
评估塞族语版癫痫耻辱量表（SSE）的心理测量特性。
该样本包括 108 名癫痫患者（PWE）（60.2%为女性，年龄范围：19-67 岁）和 102 名学生（86.3%为女性，年龄范围：18-47 岁）。研究分为两个阶段：（1）使用反向翻译技术将 SSE 翻译成塞族语；（2）评估 SSE 塞族语版本的信度和构念效度。除了 SSE，PWE 还填写了神经障碍癫痫抑郁量表（NDDI-E）、患者健康问卷-9（PHQ-9）和广泛性焦虑障碍-7（GAD-7）。每位患者都通过半结构化访谈记录了社会人口统计学和临床变量。除了完成 SSE，学生们还被问到是否认识患有癫痫的人。通过评估量表的内部一致性（Cronbach's α）来测试问卷的信度，而构念效度则通过因子分析、已知群体验证方法和相关分析来评估。
SSE 在两个样本中均表现出令人满意的可靠性水平，PWE 样本的 Cronbach's α 为 0.86，学生样本的 Cronbach's α 为 0.90。通过探索性因子分析，在两个样本中均确定了四个因素，与最初产生的量表域相对应，但也有一些例外情况。抗癫痫药物（ASM）的不良反应（AEs）和驾驶能力对 SSE 评分有显著影响，但其他社会人口统计学和临床变量对 PWE 样本中与癫痫相关的耻辱感没有显著影响。此外，抑郁严重程度显著影响 SSE 评分（基于 NDDI-E 截断分数），SSE 与 PHQ-9（r=0.42，p<.001）和 GAD-7（r=0.35，p<.001）呈正相关。对于学生样本，发现个人对癫痫患者的了解对 SSE 评分的影响显著。此外，与患者（M=40.66，SD=17.01）相比，学生（M=46.28，SD=16.43）报告的与癫痫相关的耻辱感更高，t（208）=2.43，p<.05，d=0.34。
SSE 的塞族语版本具有良好的心理测量特性，是评估患者和一般人群中与癫痫相关耻辱感的有用工具。
