Clinical Psychology and Personality

Clinical Psychology and Personality

Investigating the Psychometric Properties (Validity and Reliability) of the Student Stress Questionnaire (SSQ)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
2 Ph.D student in Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Stress is an inevitable aspect of modern life and a major contributor to various physical and mental health disorders. One common form of stress is student stress, which can significantly reduce individuals' efficiency. Therefore, it is essential to have a reliable instrument to measure students' stress levels, particularly for use in student counseling centers. Given the lack of such tools in this area, the purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Student Stress Questionnaire (SSQ) in Iran.
Method: This research is a descriptive correlational study. The sample consists of 441 Iranian students who were selected using a convenience sampling method and completed the Student Stress Questionnaire (SSQ) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The validity of the SSQ was assessed through convergent validity with the DASS-21 scale and confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and binomialization methods were used to evaluate its reliability.
Results: The research findings indicated that the internal consistency coefficient for the entire scale is 0.91, and the correlation between the two halves is 0.64. Convergent validity between the SSQ and DASS-21 questionnaires demonstrated a correlation of 0.80, indicating a strong and significant positive relationship. Additionally, the confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit for the factor structure of this questionnaire.
Discussion and conclusion: Based on the research findings, the Persian version of the Student Stress Questionnaire (SSQ) is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring students' stress levels.
Keywords

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