Psychometric Evaluation of the Persian Version of the "Brain Fog Scale" Among Married Individuals in Rafsanjan
Keywords:
Reliability, Factor Analysis, Validity, Psychometrics, Brain FogAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the "Brain Fog Scale" among married residents of Rafsanjan.
Methods and Materials: This was a methodological research study. The statistical population included all married individuals residing in Rafsanjan during the 2022–2023 academic year, of whom 200 were selected through convenience sampling. Initially, the original version of the scale was translated into Persian. The preliminary translations were then merged and integrated into a single version. The final Persian version was back-translated into English, and the translated version was subsequently reviewed, revised, and finalized. Content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI), construct validity through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent validity were assessed. Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data analysis was conducted using AMOS version 24, SmartPLS version 3, and SPSS version 24 at a significance level of 0.05.
Findings: According to the evaluation by 10 experts, the content validity ratio was above 0.62, and the content validity index was above 0.79 for all items. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that all fit indices supported an acceptable fit of the single-factor model of the scale with the collected data. All factor loadings, except for item 9, were above 0.33. There was a direct and significant correlation between the total score of brain fog and the total score and all five subscales: general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation, and mental fatigue (P < 0.05). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found to be 0.97. The Persian version of the "Brain Fog Scale," consisting of 19 items, demonstrated good validity and reliability.
Conclusion: The "Brain Fog Scale" can be considered a suitable tool for assessing brain fog among non-clinical married populations in Rafsanjan, similar to the original version. Therefore, the use of this instrument is recommended for measuring this construct in non-clinical populations.
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