title: Evaluating the cultural validity of the stressful life events screening questionnaire.
abstract: Measures of psychological trauma are rarely evaluated for validity with disadvantaged populations. The authors used three qualitative methods to assess the cultural validity of the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire (SLESQ) with low-income African American women. Focus groups (n = 17), cognitive interviews (n = 20), and videotape reviews of SLESQ interviews were conducted (n = 16). Focus group participants spontaneously used similar language to the SLESQ items and tended to identify SLESQ events as traumatic. Most items were well understood in the interviews, with some criticism of wording. Tape reviews indicated little wording modification by interviewers. One item showed consistent problems. The interview was revised accordingly.
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Bonnie L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Joyce Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Anahita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daroowalla
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaltman
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Debenedictis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires