A psychometric evaluation of fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S)

Abstract

This study was designed to modify the recently developed "Fear of COVID-19" scale (FCV-19S) as a diagnostic criterion and to evaluate its psychometric properties and potential to predict risk of psychological problems. Through an e-questionnaire, data for this study were collected from 1,317 university students from 49 universities in Bangladesh. The modified "Fear of COVID-19" scale (MFCV-19S) showed good internal consistency (ω = .867) and concurrent validity; there was significant association with anxiety and depression. The uni-dimensionality was confirmed by an acceptable average variance extracted (0.49) and construct reliability (.87). The MFCV-19S differentiates fairly between persons with and without anxiety disorder, using an optimized cut score of ≥ 8 (93% sensitivity and 78% specificity). The multivariate analysis also suggested that MFCV-19S can significantly predict risk of mental health problems. The results indicated that the MFCV-19S is an efficient and valid psychometric tool for screening fear of COVID-19 among students and could be used for general people.