Constructing and Investigating the Psychometric Properties of the Psychological Adversity Scale for Female Headed Households

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, college of Human Sciences, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran.

2 Department of Psychology, college of Human Sciences, Ashtian Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ashtian, Iran.(Corresponding Author)

Abstract

The current study was conducted with the purpose of constructing and investigating the psychometric properties of the psychological adversity scale based on the perception of female headed households using a mixed-method approach. To this end, firstly, the previous studies about the factors affecting the psychological distress of female headed households (in Persian and non-Persian languages) were reviewed. Thereafter, by applying the results of factor analysis and Delphi method, a conceptual model was extracted from it and scale items were made. Then, exploratory factor analysis method was used to determine the factor structure of the scale. Confirmation of the factor structure of the scale was also done by confirmatory factor analysis. The target community in the first part of the research included experts, managers and employees of the welfare organization and the relief committee, professionals and consultants active in women's affairs in executive bodies and non-governmental organizations, 30 of them were interviewed in a targeted manner until theoretical saturation was reached. Accordingly, the first part of the research was selected. The target population of the second part of the research included all female headed households in Tehran province, 417 of whom were selected by the stratified sampling and responded to the psychological distress scale. The data of research was analyzed by exploratory factor analysis and six factors were extracted which are as follows: social support, resilience, psychological well-being, irritability, exposure to stress and depression. These factors explained 82.48% of the total variance of the test. To check the validity of the questionnaire, content validity, construct validity and confirmatory factor analysis were used and the obtained indices showed acceptable validity. The reliability of this scale was obtained by Cronbach's alpha which was 83%. The findings showed that the psychometric characteristics of the developed tool have a suitable capability and it can be used to measure women's psychological adversities and conduct research in the field of women's psychology.

Keywords

Main Subjects

این مقاله برگرفته از رساله دکتری معصومه حافظ امینی است که با حمایت علمی و معنوی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد ساوه انجام شد.

References

  1. Audet, C.M., Wainberg, M.L., Oquendo, M.A., Yu, Q., Peratikos, M.B., Duarte, CS., Martinho, S., Green, A.N., González-Calvo, L., & Moon, T.D. (2018). Depression among female heads-of-household in rural Mozambique: A cross-sectional population-based survey. Journal of Affective Disorders, 227, 48- 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.10.022.
  2. Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2002). Faktör analizi: Temel kavramlar ve ölçek geliştirmede kullanımı. Kuram ve uygulamada eğitim yönetimi, 32(32), 470-483.
  3. Damra, J. K., & Abujilban, S. (2021). Violence against women and its consequences on women’s reproductive health and depression: a Jordanian sample. Journal of interpersonal violence,36(6), 3044- 3060.
  4. Goodman, Sh., Simon, H., & McCarthy, L., Ziegler, J., & Ceballos, A. (2022). Testing Models of Associations Between Depression and Parenting Self-efficacy in Mothers: A Meta-analytic Review. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 25, 1- 29.
  5. Kevela, S., & Magali, J. (2022). The Role of SACCOs’ Microcredits in The Empowerment of Female-Headed Households in The Njombe Region, Tanzania. African Journal of Applied Research, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.26437.ajar.03.2022.14.
  6. Kumpfer, KL .(1999). Factor and processes contributing to resilience: The resilience framework. In: Glantz MD, Johnson JL, editors. Resilience and development. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  7. Lazarus, R. S. (1988). Psychological Stress and the Coping Process. New York: Mcgrawi. 
  8. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress: appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
  9. Mubiru, M. B., Nuhu, S., Kombe, W., & Mtwangi Limbumba, T. (2022). Housing pathways of female-headed households in the informal settlements of Kampala: a qualitative study. Housing Studies, 1- 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2022.2077918.
  10. Muthén, B., & Muthén, L. (2017). In Handbook of item response theory. Chapman and Hall: CRC.
  11. Panampitiya, W. G., & Edirisinghe, E. A. (2019). A Buddhism as a tool for psychological adapyayion of female-headed households in srilanka. Buddhist Approach to Harmonious Families, Healthcare and Sustainable Societies,15, 91-107.
  12. Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069- 1081.
  13. Varley, A. (1996). Women heading households: Some more equal than others? World Development, 5, 505- 520. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(95)00149-7
  14. Windimu, , Delelegn, W., & Dejene, k. (2022). What di female-headed household’s livelihood strategies in Jimma City, South west Ethiopia look like from the perspective of the sustainable livelihood approach? Cogent Social Sciences, 41, 8- 22. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2075133

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics