The Italian Version of the Ward Safety and Security Rules Survey for Mental Health Nurses: A Validity Study

Background and Purpose: Ensuring safety in psychiatry is crucial, but practices vary widely. This study aimed to validate the Italian version of the Ward Safety and Security Rules Survey (WSSRS-I). Methods: The validation process included cultural-linguistic adaptation, followed by content and face validation. Fifteen experts assessed content validity using the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (item level [I-CVI] and scale level [S-CVI]), adjusted for chance agreement (k*). Five psychiatric nurses evaluated face validity. Results: The WSSRS-I achieved substantial agreement on cultural-linguistic adaptation (Fleiss's kappa = .85) and item relevance (CVRs = .60-1; I-CVIs = .73-1; k* = .72-1; S-CVI = 0.90). Psychiatric nurses confirmed WSSRS-I appropriateness. Conclusions: The WSSRS-I demonstrated adequate content and face validity. It provides a tool to assess safety measures in Italian psychiatric settings, enhancing psychiatric nursing practices and research.