Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students

Marcus Vinícius Nascimento-Ferreira; Ana Clara Arrais Rosa; Lorrane Cristine Conceição da Silva; Jacyara Christina Carvalho Azevedo; Rhavenna Thais Silva Oliveira; Ruhena Kelber Abrão Ferreira; Maíra Tristão Parra; Heráclito Barbosa Carvalho; Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes

doi:10.11606/s15188787.2025059005974

Authors

Marcus Vinícius Nascimento-Ferreira Universidade Federal do Tocantins. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ensino em Ciência e Saúde. Palmas, TO, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6344-1044
Ana Clara Arrais Rosa Universidade Federal do Tocantins. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ensino em Ciência e Saúde. Palmas, TO, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9995-9144
Lorrane Cristine Conceição da Silva Instituto de Ensino Superior do Sul do Maranhão. Imperatriz, MA, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8898-247X
Jacyara Christina Carvalho Azevedo Universidade Federal do Tocantins. Miracema do Tocantins, TO, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7611-5734
Rhavenna Thais Silva Oliveira Universidade Estadual Paulista. Faculdade de Medicina. Botucatu, SP, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8380-6867
Ruhena Kelber Abrão Ferreira Universidade Federal do Tocantins. Miracema do Tocantins, TO, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5280-6263
Maíra Tristão Parra International Consulting Associates. Arlington, VA, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5734-4272
Heráclito Barbosa Carvalho Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva. São Paulo, SP, Brasil
Augusto César Ferreira de Moraes University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. School of Public Health. Department of Epidemiology. Austin, TX, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7037-5655

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/s15188787.2025059005974

Keywords:

Mental Health, Psychometrics, Adult, Income, Unsupervised Machine Learning

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We tested the reliability and validity of the Perceived Stress Scale, an online questionnaire, among college students from low-income Brazilian regions. METHODS: We assessed 195 college students from a region with a Gini index of 0.56 for the validity study and a subsample of 117 students for the reliability study, where we evaluated the Perceived Stress Scale with the 14 original items. We also applied the shortened version of the Brief Symptom Inventory with 18 items (BSI-18). The psychometric properties analyzed, including temporal stability, internal consistency, and structural and convergent validity, were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, unsupervised machine learning, and confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: The questionnaire showed acceptable reliability (temporal stability [rho ≥ 0.32] and internal consistency [alpha ≥ 0.79]). In construct validity, we identified two clusters, “helplessness” and “self-efficacy”, as structure solutions for our sample via unsupervised machine learning. An acceptable fit for the two-factor structure of the scale was indicated by multiple indices (chi-square/degrees of freedom [χ2/df] = 119/76; Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] = 0.916; Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.930; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.054; standardized root mean-squared residual [SRMR] = 0.078)) on confirmatory factor analysis. Moreover, convergent validity was supported by significant correlations of the BSI-18 Global Severity Index score with perception of helplessness (rho = 0.71) and self-efficacy (rho = -0.42). CONCLUSION: The Perceived Stress Scale, which is an online tool, is a reliable and valid self-report tool for college students.

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Validity of Perceived Stress Scale in Brazilian low-income college students

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