Psychometric evaluation of the Arabic version of the Perceived Stress Scale in clinical practicum: Validity and reliability in the Moroccan nursing students

BACKGROUND: During clinical practicum, nursing students are subjected to stressors that can affect their well-being, academic performance, and technical skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Perceived Stress Scale of Clinical Practicum (PSS-CP) in a sample of Moroccan nursing students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a translation and back-translation method and comparisons were made with the original version. The study population consisted of 215 nursing students. The construct validity of PSS-CP was measured using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent validity was demonstrated by correlation with the Arabic version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). For reliability, Cronbach's alpha and test-re-test reliability (with a 10-day interval) were used. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics V. 23.0 (SPSS) and AMOS V.21.0 (SPSS) software. RESULTS: The results showed that the PSS-CP is a reliable and valid scale with good internal consistency and test-re-test reliability. In terms of convergent validity, the PSS-CP showed a positive and significant correlation with the DASS-21 scale items. The results of this study led to a two-factor model consisting of 29 items. CONCLUSION: The PSS-CP is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing clinical stressors among nursing students in Morocco.