Validity, reliability and cross-cultural adaptation of Muslims’ perceptions and attitudes towards mental health scale (M-PAMH) among Muslims in Malaysia

The Muslims have unique attitudes and perceptions towards mental health. However, studies on this are mostly limited to Muslims in minority Muslim communities possibly due to presumption that Muslims in majority Muslim countries all share the same beliefs and perceptions. This study aims to examine the cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Muslims’ Perceptions and Attitudes towards Mental Health Scale (M-PAMH) among Muslims in a majority Muslim country, namely Malaysia, among both Muslim men and women. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. The M-PAMH Malay was found to be valid and reliable to assess the four domains outlined in earlier study. Two new items were added that indicated unique cultural differences. The rigorous process of translating and adapting the M-PAMH scale for the Malaysian Muslim population highlights the need to consider religious terms, cultural nuances, and contextual differences to ensure both semantic and conceptual equivalence