Development of the left-handedness stigmatization scale for the Middle East and North Africa region (LHSS-MENA): expert validity ratio, exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses

Background: Hand preference is influenced by genetic, anatomical, and environmental factors, leading to societal biases that stigmatize left-handed individuals, especially in Arab and Muslim cultures. These biases create pressures for conformity and feelings of inadequacy among left-handed individuals, highlighting the need for a scale to measure this stigmatization in the MENA region. Methods: A set of 54 items assessing left-handedness stigmatization was evaluated by seven experts, resulting in 24 items. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with 266 participants identified 17 items clustering into three factors: “Stereotypes against left-handedness,” “Right-handed normative pressure,” and “Left-handed acceptance.” Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted with 423 participants. Results: The scale demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.78). The EFA and CFA provided good fits (RMSEA = 0.04, p = 0.002 and RMSEA = 0.0638, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: The Left-Handed Stigmatization Scale for MENA (LHSS-MENA) is a good tool for assessing societal attitudes toward left-handed individuals, effectively capturing the nuances of stigma and societal pressures with reliable psychometric properties. KEYWORDS: Stigma; MENA region; Left-handedness; Scale; Factor Analyses.