French Stigma Scale: French translation and validation of a stigma scale to measure diabetes-related stigma

Abstract

Context: In recent years internalized stigma, or self-stigma, has been the focus of a number of studies in people living with chronic diseases and mental illness, as it can negatively impact access to care and quality of life. However, few studies have looked at self-stigma experienced by people living with diabetes, specifically among immigrants, a population with a higher risk of stigmatization. Furthermore, the majority of the tools used to measure this type of stigma are only available in English. In order to assess the level of self-stigma among francophone populations living with diabetes, it is imperative to possess a specific French-language tool allowing the measurement of self-stigma in this population. Objective: The aim of this study was to translate and validate a French version of the Self-Stigma Scale-Short (SSS-S), a tool for assessing internalized stigma, in the Canadian immigrant population living with diabetes. Methods: The reliability and validity of the French stigma scale were tested in a sample of 30 immigrant patients living with type 2 diabetes recruited using the volunteer method. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the factors formulated in the original scale, the SSS-S. To evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale, Cronbach's alpha was used to estimate internal consistency and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to assess reliability. Results: The total mean score of the scale obtained for the study sample was 16.57 (± 5.10), showing a low level of stigma. Analysis of the scores indicated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86) and excellent reliability (ICC = 0.94) for the full scale. The results of the exploratory factor analysis confirmed the original three-dimensional structure of the SSS-S, despite an unsatisfactory confirmatory factor analysis. (Pr > chi-squared of the base model < 0.05, RMSEA > 0.06, for both models). Conclusion: The French stigma scale is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to assess internalized stigma in patients living with diabetes.

Association of self‐stigma with glycated hemoglobin: A single‐center, cross‐sectional study of adults with type 1 diabetes in Japan

“…Even though the original Self-Stigma Scale-Short has been validated among several samples of people. 8,[17][18][19] , the short version of the Japanese version of the Self-Stigma Scale was yet to be confirmed. The use of the short-form measure in the present study might have decreased the reliability and validity compared with the original long form.…”

“…Additionally, we used nine items from the Japanese version of the Self‐Stigma Scale. Even though the original Self‐Stigma Scale‐Short has been validated among several samples of people 8,17–19 ,. the short version of the Japanese version of the Self‐Stigma Scale was yet to be confirmed.…”

“…For further clinical use of the Self‐Stigma Scale, Mak and Cheung reported the reliability and validity of the nine‐item Self‐Stigma Scale‐Short with retained adequate psychometric properties among concealable minority groups 8 . Later, the Self‐Stigma Scale‐Short was also validated among people with mental illness 17,18 and type 2 diabetes 19 . The strengths of the short version compared with the original scale are being feasible for persons with diabetes to complete within limited space or time at clinical visits, a higher acceptability of the questionnaire in larger population, better response rates and lower rates of missing data 8,17,20 .…”

“…8 Later, the Self-Stigma Scale-Short was also validated among people with mental illness 17,18 and type 2 diabetes. 19 The strengths of the short version compared with the original scale are being feasible for persons with diabetes to complete within limited space or time at clinical visits, a higher acceptability of the questionnaire in larger population, better response rates and lower rates of missing data. 8,17,20 Also, as items in the Self-Stigma Scale include questions that could cause psychological distress, the short form enables persons with diabetes to answer with less distress.…”