AUTHOR=Őri Dorottya , Mirkovic Ana , Rus Prelog Polona 

TITLE=Psychometric properties and validation of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers in Slovenia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1671589

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1671589

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=BackgroundMental health-related stigma among healthcare professionals is a well-documented global concern, contributing to delayed help-seeking, suboptimal treatment adherence, and poorer patient outcomes. In Slovenia, despite growing public and policy efforts to reduce stigma, no validated instrument existed to measure such attitudes among healthcare providers.ObjectiveWe aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC).MethodsA diverse sample of 280 Slovenian healthcare professionals completed the OMS-HC. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were used to assess the structure of the scale, and reliability was examined through model-based indices, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability. Convergent validity was evaluated using the MICA-4 scale.ResultsInitial confirmatory factor analysis indicated relatively poor model fit for the original 15-item, three-factor model. Subsequent exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the use of either a 12- or 14-item version. Both demonstrated strong general factor reliability (OmegaH > 0.69; ECV ≈ 0.60), with the 12-item version offering slightly better model fit, while the 14-item version retained broader conceptual content. Test–retest reliability was good for the total score and good to moderate for the subscales. Moderate positive correlations with the MICA-4 scale confirmed convergent validity.ConclusionsThe Slovenian OMS-HC shows good psychometric properties in both its 12- and 14-item formats and is suitable for assessing stigma among healthcare professionals. We recommend the 12-item version for research contexts where parsimony is prioritized, and the 14-item version when broader clinical coverage is needed. Its validation addresses an important methodological gap in Slovenia and provides a reliable tool for stigma monitoring and intervention planning.