RSS 1.0Articles
Recent Submissions
-
Correlational Insights into Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in LebanonAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a prevalent childhood neurodevelopmental disorder with complex etiology involving genetic and environmental factors, causes impairments across various life domains and substantial social and economic burden. Identifying correlates to prevent its onset and decrease its incidence is crucial. To our knowledge, our study represents the first case–control investigation of Lebanese ADHD patients to explore potential correlations between familial, maternal, and child health variables and ADHD to enhance understanding of its etiology and aid in prevention efforts. We recruited 61 Lebanese ADHD patients and 58 matched controls aged 6–24 years from all districts of Lebanon. The data to analyze were collected using a questionnaire. We employed statistical tests, including the independent samples t-test and the Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. We conducted a multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the statistically significant factors explaining ADHD likelihood. We observed male predominance (68.9%) among patients. Maternal anemia during pregnancy (OR = 3.654; 95% CI [1.158–11.529]), maternal self-reported stress during pregnancy (OR = 3.268; 95% CI [1.263–8.456]), neonatal jaundice (OR = 5.020; 95% CI [1.438–17.532]), and familial history of ADHD (OR = 12.033; 95% CI [2.950–49.072]) were significantly associated with increased odds of the disorder. On the other hand, breastfeeding (OR = 0.263; 95% CI [0.092–0.757]) was identified as a protective factor against ADHD. This pilot study shed light on risk and protective factors associated with ADHD in the Lebanese population. The results are relevant, as some identified correlates could be avoidable. Further rigorous investigation is required to expand upon the observed correlations and to assist in early detection, prevention, and intervention strategies targeting ADHD.
-
Translation and validation to the Arabic language version of the climate change anxiety scale (CCAS)Background The Arab world is one of the global regions the most directly concerned by, and suffering from climate change’s adverse consequences. As such, there appears to be a strong need for an understanding of how Arab people may emotionally respond to climate change. Providing valid and reliable measures of climate change anxiety (CCA) can help gain a clear overview of the situation in Arab countries, and allow to intervene timely and effectively to mitigate any adverse effects on Arab people’s mental health. To this end, the present study sought to validate the Arabic language version of the Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS) in a sample of native Arabic-speaking adults from the general population of Lebanon. Methods This study adopted a cross-sectional approach and enrolled 763 adults between July and September 2023. Results A confirmatory analysis of the one-factor model showed poor fit indices as follows: CFI = 0.90, GFI = 0.83, SRMR = 0.048 and RMSEA 0.131 [90% CI 0.123, 0.138). The two-factor model showed a satisfactory fit with a high CFI of and a GFI of 0.91 and a SRMR of 0.04 and RMSEA of 0.05 [90% CI 0.04, 0.06]. Both McDonald’s omega and Cronbach alpha values were high for the overall CCAS score (α = 0.96 and ω = 0.96) in the whole sample. Configural, metric and scalar invariance across gender was demonstrated. No significant difference was found between males and females in terms of total CCAS scores (24.53 ± 10.59 vs. 26.03 ± 11.17, t(761) = -1.82, p = .069). Higher CCA, functional impairment and cognitive impairment scores were significantly associated with higher depression, anxiety and stress. Conclusion The reliability and validity of the CCAS in its Arabic version were proven. The availability of this self-report measure could offer a chance to assess CCA among Adults speaking Arabic, and to spread its future use for screening and research purposes.
-
Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the resilience scale for older adultsObjectives: A significant gap currently exists in the availability of reliable and scientifically rigorous measures for evaluating resilience among older Arabic-speaking populations. The primary objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of an Arabic adaptation of the 15-item Resilience Scale of Older Adults (RSOA) in a sample of Arabic-speaking Egyptian older adults. Method: Using a cross-sectional design and a convenience sample of 539 Egyptian older adults, with 60.7% aged between 65 and 75 years (50.3% females), participants completed an online Google form-based anonymous questionnaire, including sociodemographic information, the RSOA, and the 10-item CD-RISC. To ensure accurate translation, the forward-backward translation method was employed. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and gender invariance in the RSOA were analyzed. McDonald's ω and Cronbach's α were calculated to assess internal consistency. Results: The results demonstrate that the Arabic RSOA and its subscales exhibit high internal consistency, with McDonald's ω and Cronbach's α values ranging from 0.83 to 0.93. CFA analysis revealed that the four-factor model fit of RSOA was acceptable. Measurement invariance was supported across genders. Furthermore, both genders exhibited no significant differences in all four RSOA dimensions. Convergent validity was supported by demonstrating that the four RSOA sub-scores and total scores correlated positively and significantly with the 10-item CD-RISC. Conclusion: While further cross-cultural validation involving other Arab countries and communities is necessary, this study suggests that the Arabic RSOA may be used to measure resilience among broader Arabic-speaking older adults in clinical and research contexts.
-
Translation, transcultural adaptation, and convergent validity of the Arabic version of the Mukbang addiction scaleIntroduction The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Arabic translation of the Mukbang Addiction Scale (MAS) among Arabic-speaking adults from the general population. Specifically, it aimed to assess the factorial structure through a confirmatory factor analysis, determine the composite reliability through Cronbach alpha and McDonald’s omega scores, assess gender invariance, and evaluate the convergent validity by examining its correlation to eating addiction and psychological distress. Methods A total of 370 individuals with a mean age of 21.94 ± 2.29 years participated in this study, which was conducted using an online platform. The participants were surveyed on demographic information, mukbang addiction, food addiction, and psychological distress. Translation was conducted using the forward and backward technique. Results The findings demonstrated excellent internal consistency of the Arabic MAS (McDonald’s omega coefficient = 0.93). Confirmatory factor analyses validated the one-factor structure of the scale, while establishing measurement invariance across sex at the configural, metric, and scalar levels. No sex differences were observed in the Mukbang addiction levels. Lastly, the MAS scores were significantly and positively correlated with food addiction and psychological distress, supporting their convergent validity. Conclusion The current research provides evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the MAS as a self-report method for assessing addictive Mukbang watching. While further validations are needed to corroborate the present findings, this measure can be effectively utilized across different fields, including schools, mental health centers, and researchers aiming to understand this global phenomenon.
-
The moderating effect of resilience in the association between insomnia severity and PTSD symptoms in Lebanese adolescents in the aftermath of the 2023 earthquakeThe interplay between insomnia and PTSD symptoms remains misunderstood, and seems to be influenced by other factors like individual resilience. Our study examined the moderating role of resilience in the relationship between insomnia and PTSD symptoms among a sample of Lebanese adolescents, in the aftermath of the 2023 earthquake. This cross sectional study, conducted in April, 2 months after the earthquake, enrolled 546 Lebanese adolescents. We used the Sleep Self Report, the Resilience Scale for Adolescents and the 13-item Children’s Impact of Event Scale. The interaction insomnia severity by resilience was significantly associated with PTSD scores. At low, moderate and high resilience levels, higher insomnia severity was significantly associated with lower PTSD. Resilience moderated the relationship between insomnia and PTSD, mitigating the detrimental impact of disrupted sleep on PTSD symptoms. This data can guide healthcare administrators and psychiatric caregivers in classifying risk factors and implementing interventions to predict PTSD development.
-
Translation, transcultural adaptation, and convergent validity of the Arabic version of the Mukbang addiction scaleIntroduction The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Arabic translation of the Mukbang Addiction Scale (MAS) among Arabic-speaking adults from the general population. Specifically, it aimed to assess the factorial structure through a confirmatory factor analysis, determine the composite reliability through Cronbach alpha and McDonald’s omega scores, assess gender invariance, and evaluate the convergent validity by examining its correlation to eating addiction and psychological distress. Methods A total of 370 individuals with a mean age of 21.94 ± 2.29 years participated in this study, which was conducted using an online platform. The participants were surveyed on demographic information, mukbang addiction, food addiction, and psychological distress. Translation was conducted using the forward and backward technique. Results The findings demonstrated excellent internal consistency of the Arabic MAS (McDonald’s omega coefficient = 0.93). Confirmatory factor analyses validated the one-factor structure of the scale, while establishing measurement invariance across sex at the configural, metric, and scalar levels. No sex differences were observed in the Mukbang addiction levels. Lastly, the MAS scores were significantly and positively correlated with food addiction and psychological distress, supporting their convergent validity. Conclusion The current research provides evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the MAS as a self-report method for assessing addictive Mukbang watching. While further validations are needed to corroborate the present findings, this measure can be effectively utilized across different fields, including schools, mental health centers, and researchers aiming to understand this global phenomenon.
-
Assessing adherence to treatment guidelines and complications among atrial fibrillation patients in the United Arab EmiratesBackground: Atrial fibrillation (AF), a potential trigger for stroke development, is considered a modifiable condition that can halt complications, decrease mortality, and prevent morbidity. The CHA₂DS₂-VASc and HAS-BLED scores are categorized as risk assessment tools used to estimate the risk of thrombosis development and assess major bleeding among atrial fibrillation patients. Objectives: Our study aims to assess the adherence to post-discharge treatment recommendations according to CHA₂DS₂-VASc score risk group and evaluate the impact of CHA₂DS₂-VASc score and HAS-BLED score risk categories on death, length of hospital stay, complications, and hospital readmission among United Arab Emirates (UAE) patients. Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study conducted from November 2022 to April 2023 in the United Arab Emirates. Medical charts for AF patients were assessed for possible enrolment in the study. Results: A total number of 400 patients were included with a mean age of 55 (±14.5) years. The majority were females (67.8%), and most had high CHA₂DS₂-VASc and HAS-BLED scores (60% and 57.3%, respectively). Our study showed that adherence to treatment recommendations upon discharge was 71.8%. The bivariate analysis showed that patients with a high CHA₂DS₂-VASc score had a significantly higher risk of death (p-value of 0.001), hospital readmission (p-value of 0.007), and complications (p-value of 0.044) vs. the low and moderate risk group with a p-value of <0.05. Furthermore, our findings showed that the risk of death (0.001), complications (0.057), and mean hospital stay (0.003) were significantly higher in the high HAS-BLED risk score compared to both the low- and moderate-risk categories. Hospital stay was significantly higher in CHA₂DS₂-VASc and HAS-BLED high-risk score categories compared to the low-risk score category with a p-value of <0.001. Conclusion: Our study concluded that the adherence to treatment guidelines in atrial fibrillation patients was high and showed that patients received the most effective and patient-centered treatment. In addition, our study concluded that the risk of complications and mortality was higher in high-risk category patients.
-
Psychometric properties of the Arabic translation of the Dark Future Scale questionnaire in a non-clinical sample of Arabic-speaking young adultsBackground Through the years, studying negative behaviors of the worldwide population seized the spotlight from many researchers who focused on building scales in order the measure the level of worries, fear and even depression of such stressed individuals. By definition, “Future anxiety” (FA) is fueled by negative thoughts leading to intense fear of unknown future events. The Dark Future scale (DFS) measures the level of anxiety experienced towards the future. Our aim was to examine the psychometric properties of a novel Arabic translation of the DFS. Methods A sample of 684 Arabic-speaking young adults (65.6% women) filled the DFS, TEMPS-M (temperaments) and DASS-8 (psychological distress). Results Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported a unidimensional model of the DFS score, with all 5 items retained. This scale had good reliability. Moreover, concurrent validity demonstrated significant associations between DFS scores and psychological distress, depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious temperament. Scores achieved scalar invariance across gender, with women having greater exposure to anxiety about the future. Conclusion Overall, these findings led to the conclusion that the Arabic DFS is a psychometrically valid tool for the assessment of FA. The DFS is a brief, reliable and easy to apply scale that would help researchers in psychology and psychiatry in assessing anxiety about future.
-
Validation of the Arabic version of the resilience scale for adolescents (READ)Introduction: Adolescents react differently to challenging negative life events. Resilience, a dynamic characteristic of individuals, was studied to be a protective factor against such events. In order to study the resilience among Arabic-speaking adolescent populations, age-appropriate measures that are fully apprehended by younger respondents are needed. In this context, the present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ) in a community sample of native Arabic-speaking adolescents aged 13-18 years. Methods: A sample of 546 community Arabic-speaking adolescents from Lebanon was recruited (n = 328 females, with a mean age of 15.76 ± 1.65 years). Through an online questionnaire, participants were requested to complete the READ, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-8) and the 13-item Children's Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13). Results: Following the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA-to-CFA) strategy, a unidimensional model of the Arabic version of the READ was met after 10 items were removed from the scale, and showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.943). Additionally, the one-factor solution of the Arabic version of the READ was identical across male and female adolescents at the three levels of invariance (Configural, Metric and Scalar). Finally, higher resilience scores were significantly correlated with lower levels of psychopathology, namely depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD, thus attesting to the concurrent validity of the Arabic READ. Conclusion: Findings lend support to the psychometric reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the READ, and therefore its suitability for use among Arabic-speaking adolescents. The availability of this tool facilitates the implementation of interventions that foster resilience, especially in adolescents who have faced a number of negative life events.
-
Development and preliminary validation of the Postpartum Psychotic Experiences Scale (PPES)Despite the emerging research interest in postpartum psychotic experiences, there is still a lack of measures for specifically measuring this construct. The contribution of this paper is to design and validate a novel self-report measure, the Postpartum Psychotic Experiences Scale (PPES), to screen for attenuated psychotic symptoms during postpartum. This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2022 until June 2023, enrolling 438 women 4-6 weeks after delivery. Starting from an initial pool of 22 items, both Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis suggested that remaining 15 items loaded on one factor (α = 0.95). The PPES showed good convergent validity with the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief scale (correlations >0.8) and good concurrent validity with postpartum depression and anxiety scales. A PPSE score of 8.5 (sensitivity=85.2%, specificity=78.6%) was defined as the optimal cutoff point. At this cutoff, 47% of participating women were considered at possible risk for postpartum psychosis. This study provides, for the first time, a specific self-report measure to assess postpartum PEs reliably and validly. We hope that the PPES will facilitate routine screening for PEs after childbirth among women who are predisposed to developing postpartum psychosis.
-
Cross-Country Validation of the Arabic Version of the Prodromal Questionnaire–Brief (PQ‐B) in Young Adults from the General Population of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) RegionThe concept of early intervention in psychosis is still novel and evolving in some Arab countries, while completely non-existent in most of the other countries. What further complicates the introduction of this concept in the Arab world is the lack of easy-to-use and low-cost Arabic language screening tools. We aimed through the present study to perform a cross-country validation of the Prodromal Questionnaire–Brief (PQ‐B) into the Arabic language. We conducted a cross-sectional cross-national analysis based on 3247 respondents from six countries (i.e., Tunisia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco). All participants answered the Arabic PQ-B and a set of measures used to determine the discriminant validity of the scale (psychological distress and suicidal ideation). Within this study, we also analyzed the factorial structure of the scale and its reliability. We found that 54.2% of participants screened positive for prodromal symptoms, with variations across countries ranging from 47.7% in Lebanon to 62.0% in Egypt. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that fit of the one-factor model of PQ-B items was very good (CFI = .92; TLI = .91; RMSEA = .075 [90% CI .073–.077]. The Cronbach’s alpha values were > .90 for the total sample, in all six countries and in both genders. Findings also showed that the Arabic PQ-B is invariant across gender groups at the metric, configural, and scalar levels. Between-gender comparisons revealed no significant differences between males and females regarding PQ-B scores. Higher PQ-B scores correlated significantly but weakly with higher levels of psychological distress and more suicidal ideation. Findings provide evidence of excellent reliability and discriminant validity of the one-factor structure of the PQ-B in its Arabic version. The Arabic PQ-B appears thus promising as a screening tool to detect prodromal psychosis symptoms in Arabic speaking communities.
-
Validation of the Arabic Version of the Psychotic-Like Experiences Questionnaire for Children (PLEQ-C) in a Community Sample of Children and Adolescents Aged 12–18 yearsNo epidemiological prevalence data regarding psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in children and adolescents are yet available for Arab countries. Providing age-appropriate questionnaires that are fully apprehended by younger participants can facilitate discussions on prodromal psychosis in both community and clinical settings. To address this gap and help foster future research on PLEs in these unstudied age groups, we sought to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Psychotic-Like Experiences Questionnaire for Children (PLEQ-C) in a community sample of children and adolescents aged 12–18 years from Lebanon. A total of 546 native Arabic-speaking Lebanese children and adolescents were enrolled in this study with a mean age of 15.90 years (SD = 1.73) and 56.5% females. The forward–backward translation method was used for the translation and adaptation of the PLEQ-C into the Arabic language. The Arabic PLEQ‐C showed good internal consistency, as revealed by McDonald’s ω and Cronbach’s α coefficients of .85. Analyses indicated that all nine items of the PLEQ-C fall onto one factor, thus replicating the originally proposed single-factor structure of the scale. Multi-group analyses revealed that configural, metric, and scalar measurement invariance was achieved across gender and age categories (12–14 years, 15–16 years, and 17–18 years). The PLEQ‐C scores showed significant positive correlations with the PQ‐B frequency and distress sub-scores, hence attesting to its convergent validity. In addition, findings confirmed the good divergent validity of the PLEQ-C, by demonstrating significant correlations with measures of depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Findings preliminarily suggest that the Arabic PLEQ-C is suitable and feasible for assessing PLEs self-reported by children and adolescents in Arab settings. Such an instrument could allow for simple, quick, and effective screening and identification of community youth who need to go through comprehensive clinical interviews and benefit from clinical monitoring or early psychological intervention.
-
Cross-national Validation of the Arabic Version of the Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire (CUIQ) Among University Students from Egypt, Kuwait, and TunisiaDespite the widespread use of cannabis and its relative acceptance among Arab young adults, there still remains high social stigma in addressing these issues and providing treatment options. In addition, research on cannabis use among young adults from Arab nations is still scarce, which is in part due to the lack of valid and reliable measures that are tailored to the Arab social-cultural contexts. This leaves young cannabis users, health care providers, researchers, legislators and policy makers without the evidence needed to make informed decisions about cannabis use. For these reasons, this study aimed to translate and validate the Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire (CUIQ) into Arabic in a sample of university students. A cross-sectional, web-based study was carried-out in three Arab countries (Egypt, Kuwait and Tunisia). A total of 2033 Arabic-speaking university students (mean age of 23.25 ± 5.00 years, 76.0% females) were administered an Arabic translation of CUIQ, along with other measures. Confirmatory factor analysis provided support to the four-dimensional factor structure of the Arabic CUIQ (i.e. Attitudes toward consumption, Subjective norms, Self-efficacy to abstinence and Cannabis use intention) in our sample of Arabic-speaking university students. Excellent reliability (internal consistency) was demonstrated for the total score (ω = .85/α = .85) and for each subscale (ω ranging from .88 to .97 and α ranging from .88 to .97). Measurement invariance was established across gender and country groups. Adequate validity was attested through significant correlations of CUIQ scores with greater cannabis use during the last 6 months, more favourable attitudes towards cannabis and more severe psychological problems. Making available an Arabic-validated version of this sound, brief, simple, easy-to-use and economic self-report measure of cannabis use intention is a valuable contribution to the medical and scientific community.
-
Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the shortest version of the Central Religiosity Scale (CRS-5) in a sample of young adultsBackground: There is a dearth of research on religiosity in Arabic-speaking populations, partly due to a lack of universal, standardized and valid instruments to assess this construct. We sought through this study to establish the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the shortest version of the Central Religiosity Scale (CRS-5), a widely used measure of religiosity that can be applicable to most religious traditions, thus allowing for worldwide cultural and trans-religious comparisons. Method: A total of 352 Lebanese young adults enrolled in this study with a mean age of 25.08 years (SD = 9.25) and 73.3% women. The forward-backward method was adopted to translate the original English version of the CRS-5 to Arabic. Results: We ran an Exploratory Factor Analysis for the CRS-5 to test whether the expected dimensionality is suitable for the subsequent Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The model found replicates the originally proposed five items and one-factor model. Our findings demonstrated that the Arabic CRS-5 achieved good levels of composite reliability, with a McDonald's ω coefficient of .85. A multi-group CFA was modelled for the examination of measurement invariance of the Arabic CRS-5 across gender at the metric, configural, and scalar levels. Between-gender comparisons revealed no significant differences between males and females regarding CRS-5 scores. Finally, we found that religiosity was positively correlated with positive mental health aspects (i.e., social support) and inversely correlated with negative mental health aspects (i.e., suicidal ideation, depression, social anxiety and entrapment); thus attesting for the convergent validity of the CRS-5 as a measure of centrality of religiosity. Conclusion: Pending further validations with larger and more representative populations, we preliminarily suggest that the Arabic CRS-5 is psychometrically sound, and can be recommended for use for research and clinical purposes in Arabic-speaking people of various religions and cultures.
-
Psychometric validation of the Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ) into ArabicBackground Research on dysmorphic concerns (DC) in Arabic-speaking contexts is hampered by the lack of validated tools. Because DC are culturally dependent, psychometrically sound measures are needed at the national level to closely and accurately investigate the construct in specific societies and populations. The purpose of the current research was to investigate the psychometric properties of Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ) in its Arabic translation in Lebanese adults. Methods The study involved 515 participants (69.9% females, mean age of 27.55 ± 10.92 years) who completed a self-report, web-based questionnaire. Results Confirmatory factor analysis indicated excellent construct validity, as the one-factor structure of the Arabic DCQ fits well with the data. McDonald’s omega was 0.89 in our sample, evidencing an excellent level of internal consistency. Furthermore, the results from the multigroup analysis showed that the DCQ holds similar structural model between genders at the metric, configural, and scalar levels. Finally, DC levels correlated inversely with body appreciation and self-esteem and positively with disordered eating symptoms, thus supporting the concurrent and convergent validity of the Arabic DCQ. Conclusion The DCQ translated into Arabic appears to have a valid self-assessment measure to capture the presence of DC manifestations. It is anticipated that the Arabic DCQ will be advantageous for healthcare professionals and researchers working with Arabic-speaking people around the world.
