Turkish Reliability and Validity of the Respiratory Symptom Experience Scale

The objective of this study was to adapt the Respiratory Symptom Experience Scale for use in Turkish and to assess its reliability and validity among smokers. The study included 90 smokers aged 28–64 from Bitlis Province, with a mean age of 43.92 ± 7.82, of whom 26.6% were women. Initially, the scale was translated forward and backward. The finalized version was then administered to participants in person. To determine the internal consistency and construct validity of the scale, internal consistency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. The Turkish version of the four-item Respiratory Symptom Experience Scale demonstrated adequate reliability with a Cronbach’s α of 0.753. Test–retest reliability, assessed 1-week interval, further confirmed the scale’s consistency. However, the third item was removed from the scale due to its negative impact on the goodness of fit index in the confirmatory factor analysis. The Turkish version of the four-item Respiratory Symptom Experience Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing respiratory symptoms in smokers.