Adaptation and Validation of Recent Life Changes Questionnaire for Measuring Stress Among Adults in Karachi, Pakistan

In order to make RLCQ a tool to measure stress within Pakistani context, we would want to adapt RLCQ and then validate it. The study design is a validation study where the construct of recent life changing events will be validated by comparing it with a gold standard to assess the extent of accuracy of measurement by exploring the agreement between them. The mode of data collection is cross-sectional by administering the adapted RLCQ and the gold standard simultaneously. Since stress is a subjective phenomenon and serves as a root cause for many neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders, a tool for screening mental illnesses is selected against which we could compare the adapted RLCQ for validation. The Mini international neuropsychiatric Interviews (MINI) is a structured diagnostic interview developed and validated by Sheehan in 1997, Florida. It is based on the DSM IV criteria and ICD-10. The design of this study incorporates content and criterion validity as we have a pre-existing 'gold standard' which is widely accepted and is in current practice of mental health screening in Pakistan.

The study will be conducted in six phases. Phase I includes conducting qualitative interviews to explore the phenomenon. In Phase II, adaptation of RLCQ will be done and review of the adapted tool will be done with the help of subject experts. Phase III will verify the face validity of the tool by translations and back translations. In Phase IV, pre-testing of the tool will be done whereas in phase V, we will administer the tool in the community along with conducting MINI interviews. Phase VI tests the reliability of the tool.