Psychometric properties of the Arabic Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale- Parent in a non-clinical sample of Arabic-speaking adults

Abstract Background Anxiety, characterized by an unpleasant state of anticipatory unease, manifests in approximately 19% of adolescents and children within the Lebanese population. The diagnostic challenge in pediatric populations often stems from parental reluctance to acknowledge potential mental health concerns. Various screening instruments, including the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS), aid in identification of anxiety, yielding the necessity of validation of the scale in the Arabic language. This study aims to validate the SCAS-Parent in Lebanon, assessing reliability, validity and consistency of the scale. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled adults 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). Results Confirmatory factor analysis 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. Conclusion 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 viscous cycle. Early screening of anxiety in children can potentially impact the quality of life, life choices and developmental status of children.