Testing the Validity and Reliability of the Shame Questionnaire among Sexually Abused Girls in Zambia

Lynn T M Michalopoulos, Laura K Murray, Jeremy C Kane, Stephanie Skavenski van Wyk, Elwyn Chomba, Judith Cohen, Mwiya Imasiku, Katherine Semrau, Jay Unick and Paul A Bolton

PLOS ONE, 2015, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Purpose: The aim of the current study is to test the validity and reliability of the Shame Questionnaire among traumatized girls in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: The Shame Questionnaire was validated through both classical test and item response theory methods. Internal reliability, criterion validity and construct validity were examined among a sample of 325 female children living in Zambia. Sub-analyses were conducted to examine differences in construct validity among girls who reported sexual abuse and girls who did not. Results: All girls in the sample were sexually abused, but only 61.5% endorsed or reported that sexual abuse had occurred. Internal consistency was very good among the sample with alpha = .87. Criterion validity was demonstrated through a significant difference of mean Shame Questionnaire scores between girls who experienced 0–1 trauma events and more than one traumatic event, with higher mean Shame Questionnaire scores among girls who had more than one traumatic event (p = .004 for 0–1 compared to 2 and 3 events and p = .016 for 0–1 compared to 4+ events). Girls who reported a history of witnessing or experiencing physical abuse had a significantly higher mean Shame Questionnaire score than girls who did not report a history of witnessing or experiencing physical abuse (p

Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0123820

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123820

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