The following is a summary of “Bifactor SEM and MIRT Structure of a 12-Item Human Immunodeficiency Virus Stigma Scale in Peruvian Adults,” published in the September 2023 issue of Primary Care by Ramos-Vera, et al.

Stigmatization linked to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can result in discrimination against individuals living with the virus. Consequently, it is crucial to possess a validated instrument to assess this stigma. However, there’s limited validation of such tools in Peru, particularly the 12-item version of the HIV Stigma Scale. For a study, researchers sought to investigate the structure of this scale in Peruvian adults using the bifactor structural equation method (SEM) and multidimensional item response theory (MIRT).

The study encompassed 342 HIV-positive patients (57.6% female, 42.45% male) aged between 18 and 45, receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) at a hospital located in East Lima. The participants had a mean age of 31.4 years (SD = 9.79). Two measurement models were examined using SEM: a 4-factor correlated oblique model and a bifactor model due to the high interrelationships between factors.

Both the oblique model (χ²/df = 1.26, SRMR = 0.044, RMSEA [90% CI] = 0.028 [0.000-0.047], CFI = 0.996, TLI = 0.994) and the bifactor model (χ²/df = 1.14, SRMR = 0.039, RMSEA [90% CI] = 0.020 [0.000-0.044], CFI = 0.998, TLI = 0.997) displayed acceptable fit indices. The bifactor model provided a more robust explanation for the unidimensional model (H = 0.87, PUC = 0.82, LCA = 0.70), supported by the bifactor MIRT analysis.

The 12-item HIV Stigma Scale exhibited appropriate psychometric properties concerning internal structure and unifactorial reliability among Peruvian adults. The validated tool can be valuable for assessing HIV-related stigma within the population.

Source: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/21501319231197589