Adaptation and preliminary validation of the Spanish form of the CAMI-S scale (Community Attitudes towards Mental Illness)

Abstract

Introduction: the stigma of mental illness is a phenomenon widely rooted in our society. The development of effective programmes for the eradication of stigma requires having instruments dedicated to evaluating the interventions designed. The aim of this work is to adapt and validate the Spanish version of the CAMI-S scale (Community Attitudes towards Mental Illness, Swedish version) in a sample of nursing students. Material and method: the original scale in English was translated into Spanish through successive cycles of translation and back-translation. The study followed a cross-sectional, correlational observational design. Participants were 273 Nursing Degree students of the Gimbernat University School of Nursing, in Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona). Results: a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.790 was obtained for the CAMI-S scale and a coherent and significant factor structure, made up of three factors, like the original instrument. Conclusions: the results support considering the CAMI-S scale as a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of stigma in the Spanish population.