Evidence of Validity of the Adaptation of the Coronavirus Fear Scale in Colombia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35670/1667-4545.v23.n1.41009

Keywords:

fears of Coronavirus Scale, psychometric adaptation, pandemics, lockdown, Colombian population, COVID-19

Abstract

In this paper, we present evidence of the validity of the adaptation of the Fears of Coronavirus Scale (EMC; Sandín et al., 2020) in Colombia. A cross-sectional analysis with a sample of 1853 Colombian citizens was employed. During the adaptation, the scale was reduced from four to three factors: (F1) fear of getting infected, getting sick, and dying from COVID; (F2) fear of losing job or reducing income and (F3) fear of social isolation or its effects. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted
using the maximum likelihood method with acceptable standards (SRMR = .06; RMSEA = .11; CI 90 % [.106, .115]). The extracted factors significantly vary with each other, are psychometrically similar to the original scale, and present a high internal consistency (McDonald’s ω between .83 and .89). Results show that the EMC can be used in the Colombian population; for instance, to support the diagnosis of emotional or behavioural sequelae derived from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Author Biographies

  • Javier Andrés Gómez-Díaz, Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios - UNIMINUTO

    Docente investigador del Programa de Psicología, miembro del grupo de investigación Estudios en Psicología Básica y Aplicada para el Desarrollo Social y del Nodo de Psicometría de la Asociación Colombiana de Facultades de Psicología, ASCOFAPSI.

  • Leonardo Barón-Birchenall, Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios - UNIMINUTO

    Docente investigador del Programa de Psicología, miembro del grupo de investigación Estudios en Psicología Básica y Aplicada para el Desarrollo Social.

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Published

2023-04-26

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Investigaciones originales

How to Cite

Evidence of Validity of the Adaptation of the Coronavirus Fear Scale in Colombia. (2023). Revista Evaluar, 23(1), 40-50. https://doi.org/10.35670/1667-4545.v23.n1.41009