Psychometric properties of the Arabic spence children’s anxiety scale parent in a sample of Arabic speaking adults

Anxiety, characterized by an unpleasant state of anticipatory unease, manifests in approximately 19% of adolescents and children within the Lebanese population. Given the major influence of traditional mindset and the stigma concerning mental health in Lebanon, children often express anxiety differently that can go unnoticed, and leading to underreported anxiety symptoms. Having a parental perspective in a collectivist culture is important. Lebanon is known to have a strong family-oriented culture where parents have an important role in shaping children’s emotional and psychological wellbeing. Therefore, the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale-Parent (SCAS) might be an appropriate tool to aid in the identification of anxiety. This study aims to validate the SCAS-Parent in the Arabic language, assessing reliability, validity and consistency of the scale. This cross-sectional study enrolled 502 adult parents from all over Lebanon. The data was collected through a Google form and using snowball technique during November 2023. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, the Brief version of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale for the Parents (SCAS-P- 8) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS- 8). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted; calculated fit indices were the normed model chi-square (χ²/df), the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), the Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) and the comparative fit index (CFI). Values ≤ 5 for χ²/df, ≤ 0.08 for RMSEA, ≤ 0.05 for SRMR and ≥ 0.95 for CFI and TLI indicate good fit of the model to the data. CFA results indicated that fit of the one-factor model of the SCAS-P- 8 scale was acceptable: χ2/df = 84.53/20 = 4.23, RMSEA = 0.080 (90% CI 0.063, 0.098), SRMR = 0.035, CFI = 0.966, TLI = 0.952. The standardized estimates of factor loadings were all adequate. The reliability of the scale was good (ω = 0.90/α = 0.90). Higher parental depression (r = 0.61; p < 0.001), anxiety (r = 0.62; p < 0.001) and stress (r = 0.48; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher anxiety in the child. The study validates the SCAS-P- 8 for its application in the Lebanese population, demonstrating high internal consistency, reliability, and validity, indicating its potential as a screening tool for anxiety in children in the hands of psychologists and health-care professionals. Anxious parents will most likely have anxious children, leading to a vicious cycle. Early screening of anxiety in children can potentially impact the quality of life and developmental status of children. Additionally, assessing several aspects of anxiety can help prevent its long-term consequences that can affect academic performance, social relationships, and overall well-being.