Confirmatory factor analysis of the Enugu somatization scale

Abstract

Somatization of emotional distress, the manifestation of psychological problems in somatic form, is widespread in Nigeria and there are shortcomings in the use of foreign methods to assess this disorder in Nigeria (Ebigbo & Ihezue, 1981). Ebigbo developed the Enugu Somatization Scale (ESS) in 1982 to measure this but there was need for a factorial examination of the scale. 1204 participants with ages between 10 to 79 years with mean age of 29.83 years and a standard deviat ion of 11.44 of which 635 are stressed normal participants and 569 are hospital patients were selected using the 65 item ESS. The data was subjected to the Statistical analysis using Principal Component Analysis and Oblim Rotation. One valid factor with 51 items emerged making the ESS a one-dimensional (unidimentional) scale which measures somatization only. The reliability analysis yielded a Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.932, and a standardized item alpha of 0.936 estimated its internal consistency. Also, an intrinsic validity of 0.9654 was observed. This study reduced the items on the ESS from 65 to 51 valid items and established the factorial validity of the ESS.