Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) applied to the migration process

Despite the link between migration and stress, there are no questionnaires that assess perceived stress in the country of arrival and the country of origin. This study aims to obtain a valid factor structure of the two measures (general and recent) of the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ; Levenstein et al., 1993), applied to the migration process (pre and post-migration stress), allowing their comparison. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 350 Peruvian migrants settled in Santiago of Chile. The results demonstrate large and medium correlations between the indexes of post-migration stress and most of the mental health symptoms considered in the Talbieh Brief Distress Inventory (TBDI; Ritsner, Ravinowitz, 8c Sluzberg, 1995). Internal consistency for the obtained scales was moderate to high. Discussion: The abbreviated version of PSQ seems to be a reliable and structurally valid instrument to assess perceived stress in adult migrants.