Translation, psychometric evaluation, and preliminary validation of a Zulu version of the SCL-90-R.
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Date
1998
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Abstract
This study is seen as a step towards addressing the acute
shortage of psychometric instruments that can be validly and
reliably used in the assessment of Zulu-speaking individuals.
The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) , a 90-item
multidimensional self-report symptom inventory, was translated
into Zulu. A multistage translation procedure, involving back-translation,
decentering, and the committee approach was
employed. The translated instrument was pretested on a group of
Zulu farm workers (N = 12) and revisions made in order to improve
its comprehensibility and acceptability to Zulu respondents. The
psychometric equivalence of the Zulu and English versions of the
SCL-90-R was investigated with bilingual Zulu students (N = 61) .
Scale-level factor analysis yielded similar factor structures for
both versions, and suggests that the Zulu SCL-90-R may be best
utilised as a global measure of psychological distress. Scores
at the scale- and item-level were reasonably comparable for the
two language versions, although retest effects and apparent
bilingual response sets suggest that the bilingual technique may
not be a valid means of assessing translation equivalence.
Acceptable test-retest reliability and internal consistency
measures were obtained, indicating that the translation into Zulu
did not adversely affect the reliability of the SCL-90-R. The
concurrent validity of the Zulu SCL-90-R was investigated with
samples of male psychiatric inpatients (N = 23) and nonpatients
(N = 26). The global severity index of the SCL-90-R demonstrated
moderate diagnostic efficiency, with a sensitivity of 70% and a
specificity of 77%. These results suggest that the Zulu SCL-90-R
may be validly utilised for the purpose of screening for mental
illness.
Description
Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.
Keywords
Mental health--South Africa., Symptom checklist-90-revised., Psychological tests--South Africa--Validity., Theses--Psychology., Symptom checklist-90-revised (Zulu)