Reliability and Validity of the Kannada Version of the Parental Stress Scale

Abstract

Background: Parental Stress Scale (PSS) is a self report scale of 18 items which represents positive andnegative components of parenthood. Administration of scale doesn’t require any specific training but as it isself report scale it is important that parents should be able to read it by themselves for better understandingof questions. Therefore it is necessary to translate and validate the tool in local language.Objective: Objective of this study was to translate the Parental Stress Scale in Kannada language and checkits reliability in comparison with original English tool.Methods: Translation procedure was followed according to WHO guidelines for translation and adaptationof instruments. The original English version of PSS was translated by two translators into Kannada. It wasfurther subjected to expert panel opinion. Amendments were done in the Kannada version as per the panel’sopinion. A reverse translation of the amended tool was then done by a translator back to English fromKannada. The translated scale was later tested for reliability and validity.Results: The Cronbach’s alpha value of translated version of PSS was found to be 0.915 with an ICC valueof 0.82. The translated version of tool was found to be reliable and culturally acceptable in North-Karnatakaregion.Conclusion: The translated version of PSS has an excellent internal consistency and good reliability. It canbe used to measure parental stress scores among the population from North-Karnataka region.