Factor Structure Analysis of Perceived Stress Scale Among Healthcare Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24265/Keywords:
Stress, University Students, Test Validity, PsychometricsAbstract
Background: Although the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is widely used, rigorous assessment of its internal structure among healthcare students remains necessary. Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the PSS in healthcare university students. Method: Two random samples totaling 399 healthcare students completed the PSS-10. Exploratory factor analysis used WLSMV estimator with oblique rotation. Confirmatory factor analysis employed Structural Equation Modeling with covariance matrix. Orthogonal bifactor analysis tested PSS-10 dimensionality. Analyses were conducted for both total sample and gender stratified subgroups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis assessed gender equivalence of factor structure. Results: Scale items showed satisfactory factor loadings (> .40), good internal consistency (α > .80) and reliability (ω > .84), and acceptable discriminant validity between factors (< .85). Correlations between PSS-10 factors and psychological distress and resilience were of expected magnitude and direction. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated better adjustment parameters (RMSEA = .091; CFI = .977; SRMR = .032) for the two-factor solution (negative perception and stress coping) for both the total sample and sex. Conclusions: The two factor model showed no measurement invariance across gender groups. Orthogonal bifactor models supported PSS-10 unidimensionality. Despite statistical nuances across factor models, the PSS-10 provides a robust, simple, unidimensional measure of perceived stress among healthcare students.
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