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

Objective This study aimed to validate the self-reported brief version of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale-Children (SCAS-C-8) in pre-adolescent Spanish children. Method Participants were 824 children aged 8-12 from a community sample. The results revealed a good fit to the one-factor structure, adequate internal consistency (alpha = 0.75), and evidence of test-retest reliability (alpha = 0.77). Results The strong relationship between the SCAS-C-8 and emotional problems provided evidence of convergent validity. Also, the results showed factorial gender invariance. Conclusion The SCAS-C-8 is a suitable instrument for pre-adolescent Spanish children. The brevity and simplicity of this scale may facilitate early detection and help to narrow the existent gap between the presence of anxiety problems and psychological assistance-seeking.

Automated summary

The study validated the self-reported brief version of SCAS-C-8 in pre-adolescent Spanish children, with good fit to one-factor structure, adequate internal consistency, and evidence of test-retest reliability. There was a strong relationship between SCAS-C-8 and emotional problems, indicating convergent validity, as well as factorial gender invariance. In conclusion, SCAS-C-8 is suitable for pre-adolescent Spanish children, with its brevity and simplicity potentially aiding in early detection and bridging the gap between anxiety problems and psychological assistance-seeking.