Translation and Validation of the English Version of the Interpersonal Difficulties Scale among Pakistani Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

Adolescent interpersonal difficulties are a significant psychosocial issue, especially in cultures where family expectations, peer relationships, emotional regulation, social norms, and digital engagement influence interpersonal functioning. The Interpersonal Difficulties Scale (IDS), originally developed in Urdu within the Pakistani cultural context, is a multidimensional measure of interpersonal difficulties. The present study translated the IDS from Urdu into English following International Test Commission guidelines and evaluated its psychometric properties among Pakistani adolescents. The final 59-item English IDS was administered to a gender-balanced sample of 500 Pakistani adolescents aged 18–19 years. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 29 and AMOS 24. Test–retest reliability over a two-week interval was satisfactory, with interclass correlation coefficients ranging from .84 to .91. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original six-factor structure and showed acceptable to good model fit. Overall, the English IDS appears to be a reliable and culturally relevant instrument for assessing interpersonal difficulties among English-speaking adolescents.