Psychometric Evaluation of the Persian Version of the Professional Socialization Scale for Hospital Nurses: A Methodological Study.

Abstract

Introduction: Professional socialization is a critical process that influences hospital nurses' professional identity, competence, and ethical standards, ultimately impacting the quality of patient care.

Objective: This study aimed to translate the Professional Socialization Scale (PSS) for Hospital Nurses into Persian and evaluate its psychometric properties among Iranian nurses.

Methods: A cross-sectional methodological study was conducted in two phases: translation and psychometric evaluation. A stratified sample of 511 nurses from both public and private hospitals in Kermanshah City, Iran, participated in the study. The scale was translated into Persian using the Douglas and Craig model, and its content and face validity were assessed. Construct validity was evaluated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The internal consistency of the scale was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients, while test-retest reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results: The PSS scale maintained the meaning of the original English version and was clear and understandable for hospital nurses. In qualitative face validity, one item changed slightly and all items were retained in the quantitative face validity assessment. Each item's content validity ratio ranges from 0.71 to 1, the Item content validity index ranges from 0.79 to 1, while the Scale-level Content Validity Index was 0.89. The EFA and CFA confirmed a four-factor structure of the Persian version of the scale, with 21 items explaining 67.72% of the total variance. The model fit indices indicated excellent model fit. The scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.908, McDonald's omega = 0.904) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.908).

Conclusion: The Persian version of the PSS for Hospital Nurses is a valid and reliable instrument. Nursing managers should facilitate the professional socialization process for nurses. This scale can be used to assess the socialization of nurses and guide their career development.