Development of the scale of medication adherence individuals diagnosed with mental illness: A validity and reliability study

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool compatible with Turkish culture to evaluate medication adherence in individuals receiving mental health services. A methodological design was employed, and the study sample included 330 patients. Data were collected using a sociodemographic data form and the newly developed scale. Exploratory factor analysis grouped the scale items into four subdimensions: awareness in adherence to treatment, difficulties in maintaining treatment, attitude toward treatment, and prejudgment toward treatment. These factors explained 41.98% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded acceptable model fit indices: χ²/df = 2.67, RMSEA = 0.068, CFI = 0.88, and GFI = 0.86 (<i>p</i> = 0.001), indicating that the model adequately fit the data. The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the scale was 0.83, supporting its internal consistency. The Scale of Medication Adherence in Individuals Diagnosed with Mental Illness demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability and validity, suggesting it is suitable for use in evaluating medication adherence in this population. The scale can assist mental health professionals working in secondary and tertiary care settings in assessing treatment adherence and designing culturally sensitive interventions.