Exploring the Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Life Events Checklist (LEC-5) Scale in Adolescent School Children

Abstract

Background: Trauma exposure is a widespread phenomenon worldwide that often results in enduring mental and physical health disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there are significant gaps in our knowledge of trauma exposure in the Pakistani context and in the validity of standardized tools for measuring potentially life-threatening trauma exposure. This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties of a translated and adapted version of the Life Events Checklist (LEC-5) among Pakistani school students, commonly utilized to assess traumatic events associated with psychopathology.

Method: This study utilized a cross-sectional research design and purposive sampling to examine the psychometric properties of the translated and adapted version of the LEC-5 scale in the Pakistani population. The back-translation technique was used for translation and adaptation. The study encompassed two phases: a pilot study and a main study. In the pilot study, the Urdu-translated LEC-5 was applied to 30 students aged 13 to 18 years to develop test-retest reliability. In the main study, 180 school students were included from private schools in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from June 2022 to August 2022.

Results: The results of the exploratory factor analysis identified a four-factor model associated with and supportive of the DSM-5 criteria for symptoms of trauma exposure. This scale highlights the LEC-5’s test-retest reliability and cross-cultural validity to examine trauma exposure symptoms in Pakistani school students. It can serve as a valuable and highly effective instrument for examining trauma exposure symptoms in both clinical practice and research in the Pakistani population.

Conclusions: This present study highlights the significance of the Urdu-translated LEC-5 as a reliable and valid tool for examining trauma exposure symptoms in Pakistani school students and its valuable contribution to both educational and clinical applications. Its results support the use of the LEC-5 in helping to develop a deeper insight into trauma experiences in schoolchildren, highlighting its importance for informed intervention development and promoting research endeavors.