Translation and validation of the Chinese-Cantonese version of the Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale in Hong Kong adolescent girls

Aims and objectives To translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese-Cantonese version of the Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale. Background Adolescent girls prefer engaging in self-care activities for dysmenorrhoea. The Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale is a reliable and valid scale for measuring the self-care behaviour of adolescent girls with dysmenorrhoea. However, it has not been validated in Hong Kong population. Design A cross-sectional design. Methods In phase one, the Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale was translated into Chinese-Cantonese and was reviewed by an expert panel for the semantic equivalence and content validity. In phase two, the Chinese-Cantonese version of Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale was administered to 396 girls with dysmenorrhoea. The construct validity was tested using confirmatory factor analysis and correlated with the Chinese version of the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. The reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha and testretest reliability. Results Item 13 related to school nurses was deleted because of its poor relevance to the Hong Kong situation. Four items (items 2629) related to the medical-orientated behaviours were considered by the expert panel as not relevant to the self-care construct in Hong Kong population. Therefore, confirmatory factor analyses were carried out to 39-item Chinese-Cantonese-Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale (deletion of item 13) and the 35-item Chinese-Cantonese-Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale (with further deletion of items 2629). Confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the 39-item Chinese-Cantonese-Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale, but the results showed the goodness of fit in the 35-item of Chinese-Cantonese-Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale (root-mean-square error of approximation=0 center dot 075, standardised root-mean-square residual=0 center dot 078, normed fit index=0 center dot 95, non-normed fit index=0 center dot 96, comparative fit index=0 center dot 96). Significant correlations with Chinese version of the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (r=0 center dot 46, p<0 center dot 01) were identified. The Cronbach's alpha of 35-item Chinese-Cantonese-Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale was 0 center dot 94. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0 center dot 93. Conclusion The 35-item Chinese-Cantonese-Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale had satisfactory validity and reliability. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses may use the 35-item Chinese-Cantonese-Adolescent Dysmenorrhic Self-Care Scale in assessing the self-care behaviour of adolescent girls with dysmenorrhoea, so that girls with a low level of self-care behaviour can be identified and appropriate intervention can be provided.