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Development and validation of the stressful life event questionnaire

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

This study evaluates the development of the stressful life event (SLE) questionnaire and tests the validity and reliability of it.

Method

In total, 3,951 adults aged over 18 years completed the SLE questionnaire. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to further validate the SLE questionnaire.

Results

Eleven domains, including home life, financial problems, social relation, personal conflict, job conflict, educational concerns, job security, loss and separation, sexual life, daily life, and health concerns were obtained by factor analysis. Correlation coefficient was moderately significant among domains of the SLE questionnaire and moderately between the SLE questionnaire and GHQ-12 score, as well. The results of the discriminate validity analysis were promising. In addition, standardized Cronbach’-α was 92%.

Conclusion

The resultant SLE questionnaire is, therefore, suggested to be potential for the stress measurement in both community and primary care setting.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center. We would like to thank our expert panel for their cooperation: Hamid Mirzaee, Abbas Attari, Payam Kabiri, and Ahmad Pedram. We also thank all questioners who helped us in performing this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mental Health Department, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center (WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Cardiovascular Diseases Control), Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 81465-1148, Isfahan, Iran

    Hamidreza Roohafza & Maryam Shahnam

  2. Statistic and Evaluation Department, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Mohammadarash Ramezani

  3. Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Masoumeh Sadeghi & Nizal Sarafzadegan

  4. Department of Pharmacognosy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Behzad Zolfagari

Authors
  1. Hamidreza Roohafza
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  2. Mohammadarash Ramezani
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  3. Masoumeh Sadeghi
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  4. Maryam Shahnam
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  5. Behzad Zolfagari
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  6. Nizal Sarafzadegan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hamidreza Roohafza.

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Roohafza, H., Ramezani, M., Sadeghi, M. et al. Development and validation of the stressful life event questionnaire. Int J Public Health 56, 441–448 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0232-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0232-1

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