Translation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Iranian Version of the Postpartum Sexual Function and Dyspareunia Assessment Tool: The Carol Scale

Abstract

Background: Female sexual dysfunction is one of the major health problems of women after childbirth. So, the present study was conducted with the aim of localizing the postpartum sexual function and dyspareunia (The Carol Scale).Methods: This methodological study conducted in 2019-2020 on 200 woman during three months after vaginal delivery. The original version of the Carol scale is in Spanish, which after obtaining permission from the tool developer, was translated into Persian using protocol of forward-backward translation. First, the face and content validity and then the construct validity were determined by confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability was determined by the test-retest method as well as the Intra class correlation coefficient (ICC).Findings: Structural factor analysis was performed using confirmatory factor analysis and four factors of original tool were confirmed. The fit of the four-factor model was confirmed ideal fit based on goodness of fit indices. All reliability indices reported good internal consistency and the overall ICC was 0.793 which indicates the stability or repeatability of the scale over time.Conclusion: The Persian version of the Carol scale has evidence supporting reliability, validity, and responsiveness and can be used for assessment of postpartum sexual function and dyspareunia among Iranian women after vaginal delivery.

Keywords

• dyspareunia
• perineal pain
• sexual behavior
• postpartum period
• the carol scale
• psychometrics