DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF ADVERSE FAMILY DYNAMICS OF TRANSGENDER SCALE (AFDTS)

Abstract

Background. Transgender people in Pakistan, particularly those legally and socially positioned as belonging to a minor sex, experience complex and culturally embedded family dynamics that remain insufficiently quantified in existing research. The present study aimed to develop and validate an indigenous measure—the Adverse Family Dynamics of Transgender Scale (AFDTS)—to assess family-related experiences of transgender adults within the Pakistani sociocultural context.

Methods. A mixed-methods research design was employed. In Phase I, a phenomenological approach was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 11 transgender participants from Punjab to explore lived familial experiences. Reflexive thematic analysis informed item generation, expert review, and content validation, resulting in an initial pool of 37 items. In Phase II, quantitative data were collected from 355 transgender individuals to evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to establish the factor structure and model fit.

Findings. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a final 21-item scale comprising five factors: Neglect, Social Shame, Cultural Masculinity, Financially Conditional Acceptance, and Parental Affection. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor measurement model, demonstrating satisfactory model fit indices. The scale exhibited good internal consistency, as well as convergent, discriminant, and construct validity.

Conclusion. The Adverse Family Dynamics of Transgender Scale (AFDTS) is a psychometrically sound and culturally relevant instrument for assessing family dynamics among transgender individuals in Pakistan. The scale holds significant potential for research, clinical assessment, and policy-oriented interventions aimed at improving the psychosocial well-being of transgender populations.