Toolkit

SLESQ

Green, B.L., Chung, J.Y., Daroowalla, A., Kaltman, S., & DeBenedictis, C. (2006). Evaluating the cultural validity of the Stressful Life Events Questionnaire. Violence against Women, 12, 1191-1213.

Measures of psychological trauma are rarely evaluated for validity with disadvantaged populations. We used three qualitative methods to evaluate the cultural validity of the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire with low-income African American women: focus groups (n=17), cognitive interviews (n=20), and videotape review of SLESQ interviews being 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.