BackgroundMeta-analytic findings documented a substantial impact of self-esteem on a broad range of psychological and behavioral indicators, thus highlighting its high clinical relevance. Proving a simple and cost-effective measure of global self-esteem to the Arabic-speaking community, who mostly live in low- and middle-income countries, and where research may be challenging, would be highly valuable. In this context, we sought to investigate the psychometric characteristics of an Arabic translation of the Single-Item Self-Esteem Scale (A-SISE) in terms of factor structure, reliability, and construct validity.MethodsA total of 451 participants were enrolled between October and December 2022. An anonymous self-administered Google Forms link was shared on WhatsApp. To examine the factor structure of the A-SISE, we used the FACTOR software. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), using a principal component analysis on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) items first, then after adding the A-SISE.ResultsThe results of the EFA of the RSES revealed two factors (F1 = negatively-worded items; F2 = positively-worded items), which explained 60.63% of the common variance. When adding the A-SISE, the two-factor solution obtained explained 58.74% of the variance, with the A-SISE loading on the second factor. Both RSES and A-SISE correlated significantly and positively with each other, as well as with extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, open mindedness and satisfaction with life. Moreover, they correlated significantly and negatively with negative emotionality and depression.ConclusionThese results suggest that the A-SISE is a simple-to-use, cost-effective, valid and reliable measure of self-esteem. We thus recommend its use in future research among Arabic-speaking people in Arab clinical and research settings, particularly when researchers are limited by time or resources constraints.

BackgroundSelf-perceived temporal perspectives has been shown to vary across cultures. Although cross-cultural differences may be blurred by the globalization, accelerated pace-of-life worldwide and spread of multitasking; the way Arab individuals deal with time has its specificities. However, research in this area is scant in the Arab world. One of the main reasons for this scarcity of research is the lack of psychometrically sound and convenient-to-use measures. We aimed to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the briefest version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZPTI-15).MethodsA sample of community Arabic-speaking Adults from Lebanon (N = 423, 68.6% females, mean age 29.19 ± 12.54 years) were administered the Arabic ZPTI-15. The forward and backward translation method was adopted.ResultsConfirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) revealed that the five-factor model exhibited a good fit to the data. The five ZTPI-15 subscales yielded a McDonald’s omega ranging from 0.43 to 0.84. Multi-group CFA ascertained the invariance of the Arabic ZTPI-15 across gender at the configural, metric, and scalar levels. Our findings support divergent validity of the scale by showing positive correlations between past negative, present fatalistic, present hedonistic dimensions, and psychological distress; as well as negative correlations between past positive, future focused dimensions, and distress.ConclusionThe Arabic ZTPI-15 is easy-to-use, valid, reliable, and will hopefully enable the conduction of future research in the field to purposively provide comprehensive insight into the time perspective patterns and correlates in Arab countries, and the broad Arabic-speaking community globally.

BackgroundDespite the substantial clinical relevance of irritability in the development and maintenance of several mental disorders and its negative effects on functioning, no valid and reliable measures are available yet to identify the presence and consequences of irritability as a distinct construct among the Arabic-speaking populations. To bridge this gap, and help advance this field in the under-researched Arab region, we aimed to validate an Arabic-language version of the Brief Irritability Test (BITe).MethodsEligible participants were native Arabic-speaking non-clinical adolescents from Lebanon; 527 participants aged 15.73 ± 1.81 years (56% females) completed the survey.ResultsUtilizing the Confirmatory Factor Analysis approach, we found that the five items of the Arabic BITe loaded into a single factor structure. The scale showed excellent reliability, as both Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficient values were of 0.88. Multi-group analyses showed invariance across sex groups in our sample at the configural, metric, and scalar levels. Female adolescents exhibited higher BITe scores than their male counterparts (14.01 vs. 13.25), but this difference did not reach the statistical significance. Good concurrent validity was supported based on positive correlations between irritability scores and measures of aggression, anger and hostility (r Pearson’s coefficients ranging from 0.35 to 0.42), as well as positive correlations with insomnia symptoms scores.ConclusionThe present findings allow us to conclude that the Arabic version of the BITe is a unidimensional, reliable, valid, brief, and economic self-report measure of the irritability construct for both male and female Arabic-speakers. Providing an Arabic validated version of the BITe will hopefully foster the research efforts of the Arab scientific community in this area, and promote the implementation of timely, evidence-informed and culturally-sensitive mental health interventions that appropriately address irritability-related problems and consequences among Arab young populations.

IntroductionAdolescents react differently to challenging negative life events. Resilience, a dynamic characteristic of individuals, was studied to be a protective factor against such events. In order to study the resilience among Arabic-speaking adolescent populations, age-appropriate measures that are fully apprehended by younger respondents are needed. In this context, the present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ) in a community sample of native Arabic–speaking adolescents aged 13–18 years.MethodsA sample of 546 community Arabic-speaking adolescents from Lebanon was recruited (n = 328 females, with a mean age of 15.76 ± 1.65 years). Through an online questionnaire, participants were requested to complete the READ, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-8) and the 13-item Children’s Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13).ResultsFollowing the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA-to-CFA) strategy, a unidimensional model of the Arabic version of the READ was met after 10 items were removed from the scale, and showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.943). Additionally, the one-factor solution of the Arabic version of the READ was identical across male and female adolescents at the three levels of invariance (Configural, Metric and Scalar). Finally, higher resilience scores were significantly correlated with lower levels of psychopathology, namely depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD, thus attesting to the concurrent validity of the Arabic READ.ConclusionFindings lend support to the psychometric reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the READ, and therefore its suitability for use among Arabic-speaking adolescents. The availability of this tool facilitates the implementation of interventions that foster resilience, especially in adolescents who have faced a number of negative life events.

BackgroundClinical staging has been widely used to predict and optimize the treatment of medical disorders. Different models have been proposed to map the development, progression, and extension of psychiatric disorders over time, mainly for schizophrenia. The primary objective of this study was to classify patients with psychosis according to the McGorry staging model and compare factors between the different stages.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study, collecting data from 158 patients hospitalized for schizophrenia/psychosis. The survey included the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Yong Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, and the McGorry staging model.ResultsPatients have been classified into three clinical stages: relapse of psychotic disorder (43%), multiple relapses (47.5%), and persistent and severe illness (9.5%). A higher mean duration of hospitalization, psychotic symptoms (PANSS total scale and subscales), chlorpromazine equivalent dose, and number of antipsychotic treatments were found among participants in Stage 4 as compared to the other groups. However, a significantly higher mean GAF scale was found among participants in stage 3b as compared to the other groups.ConclusionEach stage in the McGorry staging model of schizophrenia is associated with well-defined clinical presentations, which help decide the appropriate treatment. Using such models in psychiatry can improve the diagnostic process and potential therapeutic interventions for patients suffering from mental disorders.