Translation, Cultural Adaptation, and Validation of the Minority Stress Scale Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals in Croatia

This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the minority stress scale (MSS) for the Croatian context and validate it among 1403 Croatian cisgender lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals.

The study consisted of three phases: the translation process, conducted in November and December of 2021 using the back-translation method; cultural adaptation through a pre-test with cognitive interviews in February 2022; and psychometric validation of the MSS in May 2022, assessing its factor structure, internal reliability, measurement invariance across gender and sexual orientation, temporal stability, and convergent validity.

Initially, the MSS’s eight-factor structure showed poor model-data fit, evidenced by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results, leading to a reduction of the scale from 43 to 32 items. The shortened MSS then demonstrated good fit and high internal reliability. Multi-group CFA confirmed the scale’s configural, metric, and partial scalar invariance across genders and sexual orientations. The MSS’s temporal stability was also confirmed by CFA at two time points, establishing configural, metric, and scalar invariance over time. Its convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with mental health measures of depression, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction, and well-being.

Overall, our findings suggest the shortened MSS is a valid tool for measuring minority stress in the Croatian cultural context, useful for future studies on sexual minority stress among LGB individuals in Croatia and similar cultural contexts.

Our findings could guide the development of tailored interventions and policies aimed at identifying the sources of stress experienced by LGB individuals and supporting this marginalized group. By doing so, policymakers can create more inclusive and effective mental health strategies that address the unique stressors and specific facets of minority stress faced by LGB individuals, ultimately improving their overall well-being.