Psychometric Properties of Nepali Translated Version of Preschool Anxiety Scale (Parent) Among Preschool Children in Nepal

Abstract Background The Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS) is a 28- item measure designed to assess anxiety symptoms in pre-schoolers aged 3 to 6 years. The aim of this study is to assess the psychometric properties of the Nepali translated version of the Preschool Anxiety Scale -Parent version, together with evidence on the reliability and cross-informant agreement among parents. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 680 mothers among seven conveniently selected private schools in Kathmandu. Results Age groups and gender differences across PAS scales were found statistically significant in mother’s reports. Exploratory factor analyses results suggest that the items of the PAS- Nepalese version do not reflect the five categories in anxiety in a clear way. This is particularly in separation anxiety, social phobia, and obsessive-compulsion. In confirmatory factor analysis, 28 items showed a poor fit of the five-factor original model for the data. However, removing three items (25 item version) through the five-factor model indicated a better fit. Internal consistency measured by Cronbach’s alpha for the PAS-Parent version scale was of good range (0.87). Cronbach’s alpha of the subscales: generalized anxiety (0.63), social phobia (0.67), physical injury fears (0.75), and Separation anxiety (0.63) were in fair range; while it was in poor range for the Obsessive-Compulsive subscale (0.567). Cross informant agreement on the ratings of anxiety symptoms of children by the fathers and mothers was low, as reflected by a weak positive correlation. Conclusion Nepalese version of the PAS demonstrated fair psychometric properties, supporting its utility in screening and assessing a broad range of anxiety symptoms in Nepalese pre-schoolers.