1Professor cum Principal, Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Victory College of Nursing, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Email: dhanpal2000@gmail.com; ORCID: 0000-0002-3037-3751
2Professor, Department of Community Health Nursing, Harsha College of Nursing, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Email: chikegowda@gmail.com; ORCID: 0009-0006-3226-0378
3Research scholar, Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Dayanand Sagar College of Nursing Sciences. Email: drshamili.kowshik@hotmail.com; ORCID: 0000-0003-2616-1219
4Department of Pediatric Nursing, Victory College of Nursing, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Email: pushpasp178@gmail.com; ORCID: 0009-0002-0414-4995
*Corresponding Author: Dhanpal HN, Professor cum Principal, Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Victory College of Nursing, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Email: dhanpal2000@gmail.com
Background & Aim: Although the English version of the Suicidal Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) has been widely used in clinical and nonclinical settings in India, its psychometric properties have not been formally evaluated in an Indian context. This study assessed the construct validity, reliability, and gender invariance of the SBQ-R to determine its applicability among Indian nursing students.
Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 300 undergraduate nursing students from two nursing colleges. Data were collected using a three-part self-administered questionnaire: Part 1 included the informed consent form, Part 2 gathered demographic information, and Part 3 comprised the SBQ-R to assess suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Construct validity and reliability were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and measurement invariance across gender was assessed using multi-group CFA (MGCFA).
Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a good single-factor model fit (χ² p > 0.05, χ²/df < 2, SRMR = 0.0139, CFI = 0.996, TLI = 0.989, RMSEA = 0.056), with strong factor loadings ranging from 0.73 to 0.81. Convergent validity was established with an average variance extracted (AVE) of 0.57 and composite reliability (CR) of 0.91. The SBQ-R demonstrated good internal consistency in the Indian sample, with omega and alpha coefficients of 0.83 and 0.80, respectively. Multi-group CFA confirmed measurement invariance across gender.
Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the SBQ-R possesses acceptable validity, reliability, and gender invariance, supporting its applicability for assessing suicidal thoughts and behaviours among Indian nursing students.
Key words: Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, Students, Psychometrics, Questionnaires
How to cite this article: Dhanpal HN, Gowda HC, Shamili, Pushpa DM. Psychometric Validation of the Suicidal Behaviour Questionnaire-Revised Among Indian Nursing Students: Construct Validity, Reliability, and Gender Invariance. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(11s): 95-100; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.11s.10
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: Nil