ABSTRACT
This study aims to evaluate the cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Persian version of Experience of Caregiving Inventory [ECI] in families of patients with severe mental disorders. After the translation and cultural adaptation of ECI, 225 family members of patients with severe mental disorders completed the ECI, the General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-28] and a demographic questionnaire. The Split half test was used to assess reliability. To determine internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha test and the concurrent validity was calculated by Pearson's correlation between the GHQ-28 and the ECI total negative score. Reliability of the Inventory as assessed by the Spearman-Brown correlation coefficient was 0.80. The range of the Cronbach's alpha for each subscale, total negative score and total positive score was 0.51 to 0.90. Pearson's correlation between the GHQ-28 score and the total negative score was 0.37 [p<0.01]. The Persian version of the ECI has good reliability and validity for family members of patients with severe mental disorders