The reliability and validity of perceptions of stigmatization by others for seeking help scale in a Turkish sample

In this study, “Perceptions of Stigmatization by Others for Seeking Help Scale-PSOSH” (Vogel, Wade and Ascheman, 2009) was adapted into the Turkish culture. The scale was translated into Turkish based on the guidance drawn up by International Test Commission (ITC) and the adaptation steps that are accepted and required to be applied in the adaptation studies. The preliminary administration was conducted with a group of 40 university students. After that, the scale was first administered to 299 university students and then 202 university students in order to obtain evidences for validity and reliability. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the items preserved the one-factor structure in the original culture. The scale’s Cronbach’s Alpha was 0.93; test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.80; split half reliability coefficient was 0.90; concurrent validity was 0.72. The study is expected to draw attention to social stigmatization associated with seeking psychological help and to contribute to further research of the issue by researchers in the field of psychological services