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The Kuwait University Anxiety Scale: psychometric properties
1Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
Psychological Reports
|November 22, 2000
Summary
The Kuwait University Anxiety Scale was developed in Arabic and English for adults and adolescents. This validated tool measures anxiety with good reliability and distinguishes between different anxiety types.
Area of Science:
- Psychological assessment
- Clinical psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Anxiety disorders are prevalent in adults and adolescents.
- A need exists for a culturally relevant and validated anxiety measurement tool.
- Existing scales may not adequately capture the nuances of anxiety in diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct and validate the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale (KUAS) in both Arabic and English.
- To provide a reliable instrument for assessing anxiety predisposition in adults and adolescents.
- To establish psychometric properties including reliability, validity, and factor structure.
Main Methods:
- Development of a 20-item scale with a 4-point intensity response format.
- Application of factor analysis to identify underlying anxiety dimensions.
- Assessment of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability.
- Evaluation of criterion-related, factorial, and discriminant validity using established measures and comparisons.
- Collection of data from a large Kuwaiti sample (N = 4,660).
Main Results:
- Factor analysis revealed three distinct factors: Cognitive/Affective, Behavioral/Subjective, and Somatic Anxiety.
- The KUAS demonstrated high internal consistency (alpha = .88–.92) and good test-retest reliability (r = .70–.93).
- Strong criterion-related validity (r = .70–.88) and factorial validity (loadings = .93–.95) were established.
- Significant correlations were found with the Beck Depression Inventory (r = .65).
- Females and adolescents reported higher mean anxiety scores than their male counterparts and undergraduates, respectively.
Conclusions:
- The Kuwait University Anxiety Scale is a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring anxiety in Arabic and English-speaking populations.
- The scale effectively differentiates between cognitive, behavioral, and somatic anxiety symptoms.
- The KUAS provides valuable data for research and clinical assessment of anxiety in Kuwait and potentially other cultural contexts.
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