Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the 9-item Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS-9)
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Family and Community Medicine and Medical Education, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- 2College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- 3Department of English Language and Translation, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- 4Alrowad Private School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 5Clinical and Simulation Laboratory, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- 6Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- 7Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- 8Department of Basic Medical Science, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- 9Health and Life Research Centre, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Background: Chronic stress is a major determinant of physical and psychological health, yet validated instruments for assessing long-term psychosocial stress remain limited in Arabic-speaking populations. Objective: The present study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the 9-item Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS-9) into Arabic and to evaluate its psychometric properties in an adult sample. Methods: The English 9-item short version of the TICS was translated following International Test Commission guidelines, including independent forward translations, back-translation, and expert committee review to ensure conceptual and linguistic equivalence. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 291 Arabic-speaking adults in Saudi Arabia. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using robust weighted least squares estimation (WLSMV) appropriate for ordinal data. Construct-related evidence was explored using hierarchical regression analyses with demographic and medical variables. Results: The Arabic TICS-9 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.876; ω = 0.904). CFA provided preliminary support for a unidimensional structure with moderate to strong standardized loadings (0.583–0.819). Model fit showed a mixed pattern in the initially specified model but improved after theoretically justified post hoc residual correlations were added between item pairs with overlapping content. Income was inversely associated with chronic stress scores after adjustment for education, work status, and marital status. Depression was associated with higher stress scores after controlling for other chronic conditions. Conclusion: These findings provide initial evidence of internal consistency and preliminary structural support for the Arabic TICS-9 in Saudi Arabic-speaking adults. Further studies are needed to evaluate test–retest reliability, convergent validity, and measurement invariance across populations.
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BibTeX
@article{althobaiti2026factor,
title = {{Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the 9-item Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS-9)}},
author = {Salman Althobaiti and Raseel Obaid and Salman Alharbi and Ghizlan Aljumah and Rahaf Alsharif and Abdulaziz Aldubiani and Mansour Mahmoud and Bjarne Schmalbach and Katja Petrowski and Ahmad Assinnari},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0360750},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360750},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the 9-item Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS-9)
AU - Salman Althobaiti
AU - Raseel Obaid
AU - Salman Alharbi
AU - Ghizlan Aljumah
AU - Rahaf Alsharif
AU - Abdulaziz Aldubiani
AU - Mansour Mahmoud
AU - Bjarne Schmalbach
AU - Katja Petrowski
AU - Ahmad Assinnari
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0360750
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360750
AB - Background: Chronic stress is a major determinant of physical and psychological health, yet validated instruments for assessing long-term psychosocial stress remain limited in Arabic-speaking populations. Objective: The present study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the 9-item Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress (TICS-9) into Arabic and to evaluate its psychometric properties in an adult sample. Methods: The English 9-item short version of the TICS was translated following International Test Commission guidelines, including independent forward translations, back-translation, and expert committee review to ensure conceptual and linguistic equivalence. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 291 Arabic-speaking adults in Saudi Arabia. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using robust weighted least squares estimation (WLSMV) appropriate for ordinal data. Construct-related evidence was explored using hierarchical regression analyses with demographic and medical variables. Results: The Arabic TICS-9 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.876; ω = 0.904). CFA provided preliminary support for a unidimensional structure with moderate to strong standardized loadings (0.583–0.819). Model fit showed a mixed pattern in the initially specified model but improved after theoretically justified post hoc residual correlations were added between item pairs with overlapping content. Income was inversely associated with chronic stress scores after adjustment for education, work status, and marital status. Depression was associated with higher stress scores after controlling for other chronic conditions. Conclusion: These findings provide initial evidence of internal consistency and preliminary structural support for the Arabic TICS-9 in Saudi Arabic-speaking adults. Further studies are needed to evaluate test–retest reliability, convergent validity, and measurement invariance across populations.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -