Validation of the brief version of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale for Spanish children (SCAS-C-8)

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.

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale: A 25-Year Systematic Review

The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is one of the most used instruments to assess anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents. Extensive research has been conducted to examine its psychometric properties and to develop other versions of the scale. The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the SCAS across different versions and populations. This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered. APA PsycINFO, Web of Science (Core Collection) and MEDLINE (PubMed) were searched. Fifty-two studies were included in this systematic review. They examined the factor structure, convergent and divergent validity, and internal consistency of the scale. The most supported model was the original six-factor model, followed by the higher order six-factor model for the long version of the SCAS. Studies provided evidence of convergent validity and internal consistency. It is concluded that the SCAS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents, with a six-factor model structure well supported in most populations. Further research on the psychometric properties and factor structure of other versions of the scale and its application to clinical populations is warranted.

Prevention of Emotional Problems in Spanish Schoolchildren: Effectiveness of the Super Skills Multimedia Program to Promote Social-Emotional Skills

Compared to traditional psychosocial interventions, the transdiagnostic approach focuses on common processes or factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of emotional problems. In Spain, the Super Skills Program has proven its effectiveness, but issues with displacement or scheduling for families can hinder access to the intervention. This study aims to examine the program's effectiveness in preventing children's psychosocial problems through learning socio-emotional skills when self-administered via the Internet. Participants were 283 Spanish children between the ages of 8 and 12. The children and their parents completed anxiety and depression scales before and after receiving the intervention and 12 months later. The program consisted of 8 self-applied sessions, at a rate of two per week, which included emotional education, cognitive restructuring, self-regulation techniques, training in social skills, problem-solving, and video feedback with cognitive preparation. Significant differences in anxiety and depression symptoms were found after the intervention. A significant reduction in anxiety scores and a marginally significant decrease in depression scores was observed at the long-term follow-up. The "intention to treat" analysis revealed a tendency for children who improved to drop out of the program, completing the intervention children with more symptomathology. Learning socio-emotional skills through a self-applied intervention via the Internet effectively reduced emotional symptoms in school children and is a valuable resource to improve child well-being and prevent future psychological problems.

Effectiveness of a transdiagnostic computerized self-applied program targeting children with emotional problems: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Super Skills for Life (SSL) is an eight-session transdiagnostic program based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), aimed at the indicated prevention of childhood emotional problems, which has been implemented with positive short- and long-term results. The present study aimed to examine the effects of a self-applied computerized program based on SSL that maintains the same objectives and contents as the face-to-face program.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled study, 75 children (49.3 % female) aged 8-12 years (Mage = 9.45, SD = 1.31), selected for exhibiting emotional symptoms, were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 35) or the waiting list control (WLC) group (n = 40). Pre- and post-intervention data were collected through self-reports and the report of parents who completed parallel versions of the same measures of emotional and behavioral problems.

RESULTS

Overall, compared to the WLC group, the intervention group showed positive effects on targeted emotional symptomatology in the short term. Based on parents' reports, a significant reduction was found in outcomes such as anxiety, depression, emotional symptoms, and internalizing problems, while self-reported results were similar except for anxiety. In addition, a positive impact was found on symptoms related to other types of difficulties (e.g., externalizing problems and general difficulties measured).

LIMITATIONS

Small sample size, non-inclusion of follow-up assessment and other informants (e.g., teachers).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, this research provides novel and promising data on the self-applied computerized adapted version of the SSL program, within a multi-informant approach, suggesting that it may be a useful tool for the indicated prevention of childhood emotional problems.

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Highly Sensitive Child Scale: The Parent Version

Environmental sensitivity is the ability to perceive, register and process information about the environment, which differs among children and adolescents. The Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale has been used to assess environmental sensitivity in youngsters. The HSC scale is a short and 12-item adapted version of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) scale. The aim of this pilot study is to transculturally adapt the Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale, and to analyze its factorial structure, reliability and validity. First, a transcultural adaptation was conducted by bilingual experts. Second, once the questionnaire was translated, the psychometric properties were analyzed. The Spanish version of the HSC scale was administered to parents answering about information of 141 children between 6 and 10 years old. The Spanish version of the Emotionality, Activity and Sociability Survey (EAS) was also applied. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of sensitivity in our Spanish sample. This structure included the following dimensions: (1) Ease of Excitation (EOE), (2) Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and (3) Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES). Moreover, both Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω values indicated that the Spanish version of the HSC scale was a reliable measure of environmental sensitivity, as a general factor of sensitivity (α = 0.84), and even in its three dimensions: EOE (α = 0.86), LST (α = 0.77) and AES (α = 0.73). Finally, the correlations for convergent validity showed positive associations, especially among the three dimensions of SPS and Emotionality (EOE r = 0.351; LST r = 0.274; AES r = 0.259), which was one of the domains of the EAS survey. The pilot study provided interesting results, which showed a reliable and valid replication of the original structure of sensitivity in the Spanish samples.