Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Academic Stressors Questionnaire Among Peruvian University Students

Abstract

University life is characterized by diverse academic demands that, when sustained over time, may be perceived by students as difficult to cope with and may be associated with various indicators of academic and psychological adjustment. In this context, there is a need for instruments that assess academic stressors and provide adequate psychometric evidence and contextual relevance. The present study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Academic Stressors Questionnaire among Peruvian university students. An instrumental, cross-sectional study included 700 students aged 18–46 years (M = 21.33; SD = 4.18). The instrument was linguistically adapted from Portuguese into Spanish, and its content validity was assessed through expert judgment. We then conducted descriptive item analyses, computed polychoric correlations, fitted a confirmatory factor model using WLSMV, tested measurement invariance across gender, and estimated internal consistency using ordinal alpha and omega. The results supported a 12-item unidimensional structure with adequate item performance, factor loadings ranging from 0.59 to 0.80, and acceptable incremental fit (CFI = 0.982; TLI = 0.978; SRMR = 0.064). Configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across gender were also supported. High levels of internal consistency were also observed (ordinal α = 0.91; ordinal ω = 0.91). It is concluded that the questionnaire provides initial evidence of content and construct validity, as well as satisfactory internal consistency. These findings support its preliminary use for assessing academic stressors in Peruvian university students, while further studies are required to corroborate its psychometric properties.