Psychometric properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders Thai version

Network Analysis and Psychometric Properties of the Parent Version of the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders in Arabic Children (4-7 Years Old)

INTRODUCTION

The current paper aimed to translate psychometric properties and network structure of the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED-P) in children aged 4 to 7 years in Arabic-speaking countries.

METHOD

In this study, 646 Arabic-speaking parents of children aged 4 to 7 participated. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm the five-factor structure of the SCARED-P scale. Indices of reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity and measurement invariance were utilized. Additionally, a network perspective, which included exploratory graph analysis (EGA), was employed.

RESULTS

The results of the present study showed that the five-factor model of the SCARED-P scale was confirmed with good fit indices (χ2/df = 3.27, RMSEA = 0.059, CFI = 0.92). The scale demonstrated good internal consistency (total scale: α = 0.946, subscales: α = 0.68-0.96). Test-retest reliability over 2 weeks was satisfactory (ICC above 0.70). The convergent validity of the scale was also confirmed, as SCARED-P scores had a significant correlation with the emotional problems subscale of the SDQ (r = 0.61, p < 0.001). The emotional subscale showed the highest correlation with the generalized anxiety component (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Additionally, the network analysis supported the five-factor model of the SCARED-P scale.

CONCLUSION

The SCARED-P scale demonstrated excellent psychometric properties in Arabic-speaking children aged 4 to 7, with a stable five-factor structure and strong convergent validity. It suggested that this tool can be a valuable instrument for the early identification of anxiety disorders in Arab countries. This study emphasizes the importance of culturally adapted screening tools in detecting anxiety symptoms and providing opportunities for early interventions.

Psychological Factors Influencing Achievement of Senior High School Students

Numerous factors are proposed to affect high school students’ academic achievement; however, these factors may not reveal all possible causal relationships. This study conducted path analysis to examine the direct and indirect effects of interpersonal relationships, life satisfaction, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression on the academic achievement of senior high school students. Two hundred and eighty-five students from five schools in Chiang Mai, Thailand, aged 14–19 years, were included for data analysis. The fit indices of all models were in agreement with the empirical data. Anxiety levels had a significantly positive direct effect on achievement, whereas depression had a negative direct effect on achievement. Additionally, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and interpersonal relationships had negative indirect effects on depression and anxiety. A program that stimulates the optimal and appropriate level of anxiety may be useful. An appropriate level of anxiety appeared positively related to academic achievement, but a high level of anxiety relatively influenced the incidence of depression. Thus, encouraging self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and life satisfaction can promote academic ability and decrease the risk of depression. Further well-designed and large sample-size studies should be conducted to confirm these findings. The interplay of all studied factors may account for the variation in academic achievement, depression, and anxiety of 11.60%, 42.80%, and 17.60%, respectively.