Psychometric Properties of Persian Short Forms of the Literacy and Stigma of Suicide Scales on the Iranian Population

Suicide represents a significant global health issue, shaped by a complex interplay of psychological, cultural, and economic factors. Key objectives in suicide prevention programs include reducing the stigma associated with suicide and enhancing suicide literacy.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian short forms of the Literacy of Suicide Scale and the Stigma of Suicide Scale (LOSS-SF and SOSS-SF).

This cross-sectional study utilized an online survey to gather data from 240 individuals in the general population. The scales were translated from English to Persian and then back-translated into English by professional translators, with the translation quality confirmed by an independent review team. The scales’ validity, reliability, and factor structure were thoroughly analyzed.

The scales’ internal consistency was determined using Cronbach’s alpha, with LOSS-SF scoring 0.76 and SOSS-SF scoring 0.79. The intraclass correlation coefficients for LOSS-SF and SOSS-SF were 0.81 and 0.75, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis affirmed the structure of both scales.

The findings suggest that LOSS-SF and SOSS-SF possess appropriate psychometric properties for the Iranian context, enabling Persian-speaking professionals to use these tools for assessing key aspects of suicide.