Life stress as a determinant of emotional well-being: development and validation of a Spanish-Language Checklist of Stressful Life Events.
Objectives: To develop a screening instrument for investigating the prevalence and impact of stressful life events in Spanish-speaking Peruvian adults.Background: Researchers have demonstrated the causal connection between life stress and psychosocial and physical complaints. The need for contextually relevant and updated instruments has been also addressed.Methods: A sequential exploratory design combined qualitative and quantitative information from two studies: first, the content validity of 20 severe stressors (N= 46); then, a criterion-related validity process with affective symptoms as criteria (Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25),N= 844).Results: 93% of the participants reported one to eight life events (X= 3.93, Mdn = 3, SD = 7.77). Events increase significantly until 60 years of age (Mdn = 6). Adults born in inland regions (Mdn = 4) or with secondary or technical education (Mdn = 5) reported significantly more stressors than participants born in Lima or with higher education. There are no differences by gender. Four-step hierarchical models showed that life stress is the best unique predictor (β) of HSCL anxiety, depression and general distress (p< .001). Age and gender are significant for the three criteria (p< .01,p< .001); lower education and unemployment are significant unique predictors of general distress and depression (p< .01;p< .05). Previously, the two-factor structure of the HSCL-25 was verified (Satorra-Bentler chi-square, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.059; standardized root-mean-square residual = 0.055).Conclusion: The Spanish-Language Checklist of Stressful Life Events is a valid instrument to identify adults with significant levels of life stress and possible risk for mental and physical health (clinical utility).
Department of Psychology, University of Leuven , Tiensestraat 102, box 3722, Leuven 3000 , Belgium ; Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Peru , Av. Universitaria 1801, San Miguel , Lima 32 , Peru.
Roxanna
R
Morote Rios
Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology , Dragvoll Edvard Bulls veg 1, Trondheim 7491 , Norway.
Odin
O
Hjemdal
Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Peru , Av. Universitaria 1801, San Miguel , Lima 32 , Peru.
Patricia
P
Martinez Uribe
Department of Psychology, University of Leuven , Tiensestraat 102, box 3722, Leuven 3000 , Belgium.
Jozef
J
Corveleyn
HSCL-25; checklist; psychopathology; stressful life events; validation