Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the COVID-19 Anxiety Syndrome Scale in Iranian College Students

The COVID-19 anxiety syndrome is characterized by threat monitoring, checking, avoidance, and worry. The COVID-19 anxiety syndrome scale (C-19ASS) is a self-report tool to measure this syndrome. The present study was aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of C-19ASS in Iranian college students.

This is a correlational study. Participants were 251 students of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences in 2020 who were selected using a convenience sampling method and filled self-report tools of compassion scale, C-19ASS and COVID-19 burnout scale (COVID-19-BS). The reliability using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, convergent validity, divergent validity, and construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis were examined. the collected data were analyzed in SPSS v.25 and LISREL 8.8 applications.

The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-factor and two-factor structure of the Persian C-19ASS, where the two-factor model had a better fit. Cronbach’s alpha for the overall scale and its subscales of Perseveration and avoidance were obtained 0.72, 0.71, and 0.70, respectively. The Persian C-19ASS score had a positive significant correlation with the COVID-19-BS score and a negative significant correlation with the compassion scale score, indicating the convergent and divergent validity of the Persian C-19ASS.

The Persian C-19ASS has good psychometric properties (validity and reliability) and can be used in evaluating different dimensions of COVID-19 anxiety syndrome in Iran. It is a short and practical tool that can be used in clinical and research settings.