TY - JOUR
T1 - Reliability and Validity of the Menopausal Symptom Scale
AU - Choi, Myung Sook
AU - Shin, Hyun-Jeong
PY - 2015/1/2
Y1 - 2015/1/2
N2 - Menopausal symptom experiences differ by racial/ethnic group. Thus, health care professionals who use instruments to measure menopausal symptoms need to be aware of cultural sensitivities. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Menopausal Symptom Scale among Korean women. Data from 229 Korean women between the ages of 40 and 65 years, selected by convenience sampling, were collected during 2010–2011. Psychometric properties were evaluated through content validity and item analysis, construct validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, floor/ceiling effects, and internal consistency reliability. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed four factors explaining 65% of variance in the items. Discriminant validity and the criterion-related validity were supported. No significant floor/ceiling effects were found. Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.90 to 0.95. The Menopausal Symptom Scale developed for Korean menopausal women appeared to be a valid and reliable instrument. It appeared that it measured psychological symptoms more comprehensively and in a culturally-specific or ethnic-specific manner in menopausal women of Asian or traditional cultures. It will be necessary to broaden the scale of research to other ethnic groups and countries to verify the psychometric properties specific to the ethnic group or country.
AB - Menopausal symptom experiences differ by racial/ethnic group. Thus, health care professionals who use instruments to measure menopausal symptoms need to be aware of cultural sensitivities. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Menopausal Symptom Scale among Korean women. Data from 229 Korean women between the ages of 40 and 65 years, selected by convenience sampling, were collected during 2010–2011. Psychometric properties were evaluated through content validity and item analysis, construct validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, floor/ceiling effects, and internal consistency reliability. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed four factors explaining 65% of variance in the items. Discriminant validity and the criterion-related validity were supported. No significant floor/ceiling effects were found. Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.90 to 0.95. The Menopausal Symptom Scale developed for Korean menopausal women appeared to be a valid and reliable instrument. It appeared that it measured psychological symptoms more comprehensively and in a culturally-specific or ethnic-specific manner in menopausal women of Asian or traditional cultures. It will be necessary to broaden the scale of research to other ethnic groups and countries to verify the psychometric properties specific to the ethnic group or country.
KW - instruments
KW - menopause
KW - reliability and validity
KW - symptoms
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84923538213&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1080/03630242.2014.972017
DO - 10.1080/03630242.2014.972017
M3 - Article
C2 - 25531137
AN - SCOPUS:84923538213
SN - 0363-0242
VL - 55
SP - 58
EP - 76
JO - Women and Health
JF - Women and Health
IS - 1
ER -