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Violence Against Women, Vol. 12, No. 12, 1191-1213 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1077801206294534

Evaluating the Cultural Validity of the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire

Bonnie L. Green

Joyce Y. Chung

Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC

Anahita Daroowalla

Kingsbury Center, Washington, DC

Stacey Kaltman

Caroline DeBenedictis

Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC

Measures of psychological trauma are rarely evaluated for validity with disadvantaged populations. The authors used three qualitative methods to assess the cultural validity of the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire (SLESQ) with low-income African American women. Focus groups (n = 17), cognitive interviews (n = 20), and videotape reviews of SLESQ interviews were conducted (n = 16). Focus group participants spontaneously used similar language to the SLESQ items and tended to identify SLESQ events as traumatic. Most items were well understood in the interviews, with some criticism of wording. Tape reviews indicated little wording modification by interviewers. One item showed consistent problems. The interview was revised accordingly.

Key Words: culturalvalidity • instrument development • interpersonal violence • psychological trauma

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