Turkish validity and reliability study of the Grief Traits and State Scale Applied to pediatric nurses

Aim: This study aims to adapt the "Grief Traits and State Scale for Nurses," which assesses professional grief in nurses, into the Turkish language, applying it to pediatric nurses and thereby contributing to the literature in Turkey. Materials and Method: This methodological study was carried out over the period March 30 - July 2, 2023 at pediatric clinics with 205 pediatric nurses who had at least 1 year of professional experience, had gone through the loss of a patient, and was willing to participate in the research. The study data were collected with a Descriptive Data Form and the Grief Traits and State Scale for Nurses, which was converted into an online data form on Google Forms. The data analysis employed numbers/percentages, the t test, correlation analysis, Cronbach's α reliability coefficient and factor analysis. Results: All of the values of the items in the scale and both sections and the subscales were examined for Kurtosis and Skewness; normal distribution was found. These values were KMO=0.791 for the first section of the scale; EFA Total Variance was 74.462% and Cronbach's alpha was 0.803. In the second section, these values were KMO=0.873, 61.108% for EFA Total Variance and 0.871 for Cronbach's alpha. It was determined from the review of the standardized coefficients for both sections and the subscales that factor loads were high, standard error values were low, t values were significant, and a correlation was found between the variables studied in the factor analysis (p=0.000<0.05). Composite reliability (CR) and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) were found to be significant, with Tukey's Test of Additivity less than p<0.05. Both sections of the scale showed a significance difference between the Lower 27% and Upper 27% groups (p<0.05) and a differentiated sensitivity for measurement. The nurses' mean score for the first section was 18.634±5.523 (Min=7; Max=35), and 29.010±7.443 (Min=12; Max=50) for the second section; the total mean score was 47.644±11.551 (Min=22; Max=81). Conclusion: The concluding result of the data analysis showed that the Grief Traits and State Scale for Nurses is a valid and reliable instrument for the Turkish culture. We recommend that the scale be used in Turkey in the assessment of nurses' levels of grief. Key Words: Grief, Grief Scale, Pediatric Nursing, Validity and Reliability