A psychometric evaluation of the Vietnamese version of the Affiliate Stigma Scale

Abstract

Background: The Affiliate Stigma Scale (ASS) is the most used instrument to assess affiliate stigma in caregivers with different mental health issues. However, there has not been a Vietnamese version of this scale with clear psychometric properties. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Affiliate Stigma Scale in the Vietnamese context. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study among 300 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using purposive sampling and a self-administered structured questionnaire including the Affiliate Stigma Scale - Vietnamese version. Data were collected from February to September 2023. Results: The psychometrics and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the instrument’s internal consistency and construct validity. The total scale showed a good Cronbach’s alpha of 0.94. The three-factor model had an acceptable fit (Comparative Fit Index = 0.93, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.068). Conclusion: The Vietnamese version of Affiliate Stigma Scale exhibited good validity and reliability for nurses and other pediatric professionals to assess affiliate stigma among parents of children with ASD.

Keywords

• autism spectrum disorder
• affiliate stigma
• caregivers
• factor analysis
• psychometrics