Translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Higher Education Stress Inventory (HESI-Br)

Abstract

Objectives: There are no validated instruments to measure education-related stress in Brazilian university students. Thus, we aimed to translate and test the internal reliability, convergent/discriminant validity, and measurement equivalence of the Higher Education Stress Inventory (HESI). Methods: The translation protocol was carried out by two independent translators. The instrument was culturally adapted after a pilot version was administered to 36 university students. The final version (HESI-Br) was administered to 1,021 university students (mean age = 28.3, standard deviation [SD] = 9.6, 76.7% female) via an online survey that lasted from September 1 to October 15, 2020. The factor structure was estimated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first half of the dataset. We tested the best EFA-derived model with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the second half. Convergent/ discriminant validity was tested using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Sex, age groups, period of study, family income and area of study were used to test measurement equivalence. Results: EFA suggested five factors: career dissatisfaction; faculty shortcomings; high workload; financial concerns; and toxic learning environment. CFA supported the five-factor model (15 items), but not a higher order factor, suggesting multidimensionality. All five factors presented acceptable internal reliabilities, with Cronbach's α ≥ 0.72 and McDonald's ω ≥ 0.64. CFA models indicated that the HESI-Br and DASS-21 assess different but correlated underlying latent constructs, supporting discriminant validity. Equivalence was ascertained for all tested groups. Conclusion:The 15-item HESI-Br is a reliable and invariant multidimensional instrument for assessing relevant stressors among university students in Brazil.

Associations of mental well‐being with higher education‐related stress and orientation of the academic goals among nursing students: A cross‐sectional study

“…As a result, they can retain good mental health even after enduring stress from their studies. Nursing students work hard to obtain professional information and skills during their school studies, deal with stressful situations, solidify their objectives and choices, overcome challenges (Pacheco et al., 2023), and strike a balance in their lives because they are anxious to become competent medical professionals in the future. The capacity to adjust to other negative influences and emotions that cause academic stress is another benefit of good mental health for nursing students (Palos, 2018).…”

Nursing students’ emotional empathy, emotional intelligence and higher education-related stress: a cross-sectional study

“…Higher education-related stress refers to the stresses related to academics, career development, and life that students face when they are in higher education [5]. The higher education level is usually accompanied by greater academic, professional, social, and psychological stress than other educational levels [6,7].…”