Psychometric validation of the Depression Stigmatization Scale in Kazakh- and Russian-speaking populations

Background Stigma remains a major barrier to help-seeking, social inclusion, and equitable access to mental health care for people with depression. The availability of culturally appropriate instruments is essential for monitoring stigma, evaluating anti-stigma interventions, and supporting community-based mental health policies. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the personal stigma subscale Depression Stigma Scale (DSS) in Kazakh- and Russian-speaking populations. Methods A cross-sectional validation study was conducted among 1,000 adults in Kazakhstan (500 Russian-speaking and 500 Kazakh-speaking participants). The DSS was translated using a forward-backward translation procedure. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach’s alpha, and McDonald’s omega were used to evaluate construct validity and internal consistency. Results The adapted versions demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and preliminary evidence of factorial validity. The final Russian version retained eight items (Cronbach’s α = 0.71; McDonald’s ω = 0.71), while the final Kazakh version retained seven items (Cronbach’s α = 0.78; McDonald’s ω = 0.78). EFA supported a predominantly unidimensional factor structure in both language versions after removing items with insufficient factor loadings. The findings are consistent with previous international validation studies reporting cultural variation in the factor structure of the DSS. Conclusion The Russian and Kazakh versions of the DSS provide reliable and culturally appropriate instruments for assessing personal depression stigma. Beyond psychometric validation, the adapted scale may facilitate monitoring of public attitudes toward depression, evaluation of anti-stigma programmes, and evidence-informed community-based mental health policies in Kazakhstan and other multilingual settings.