The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS): reliability and validity of the Spanish version

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) in a sample of 1,636 Spanish students 9-17 years old. The total-score internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.92 and indices of subscales ranged from 0.81 (Panic-Agoraphobia) to 0.61 (Separation Anxiety and Physical Injury Fear). The test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation) was 0.61 and subscales ranged from 0.62 (Specific Phobias) to 0.51 (Panic-Agoraphobia). All scores decreased slightly from test to retest. SCAS scores showed convergent validity in their high correlation with general and specific anxiety measures. SCAS scores also showed divergent validity in their low correlation with several measures of non-anxiety disorders, including depression. It is concluded that the SCAS is a suitable tool to assess in Spanish children anxiety disorders as they are depicted in DSM-IV.