Parental psychological distress has been identified as a predisposing factor in attendance at and the inappropriate use of hospital pediatric emergency departments (PEDs). The aim of the study was to validate the Parental Stress Scale (PSS), a 12-item Spanish scale, in parents seeking care at PEDs. The study involved 270 participants with a mean age of 37.9 (SD = 6.76) years, of which 77.4% were women. The properties of the PSS were analyzed. The scale showed adequate internal consistency for the different factors (0.80 for the "Stressors" factor and 0.78 for the "Baby's Rewards" factor) and optimal model fit (chi-square = 107.686; df = 53; CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.028; 90% CI = 0.00-0.05). The 12-item Spanish version of the PSS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the stress levels of parents seeking care in PEDs.
Keywords: emergency department; parental stress scale; pediatrics; psychometric evaluation.