The Reading Anxiety Scale for children: Development and psychometric properties

Research has demonstrated a connection between anxiety and reading-related variables (e.g., achievement) in elementary school students, including those receiving reading intervention. While numerous psychometrically strong measures of child anxiety exist, there remains a need for a brief, self-report screening tool that can be used for assessing anxiety specific to reading. This study presents findings on the development and psychometric properties of such a measure, the Reading Anxiety Scale (RAS). Third- and fourth-grade students who were participating in a larger randomized control trial completed the RAS at two time points (T1, n = 306; T2, n = 219), along with other self-report behavioral measures. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor models demonstrated good fit for the six-item RAS. Further analysis revealed that the screener was most accurate at detecting higher than average reading anxiety levels, consistent with development goals. Internal consistency was adequate, as were convergent and discriminant validity. Overall, preliminary support for the RAS as a screener for identifying reading-related anxiety symptoms was demonstrated. Findings are discussed in terms of the utility of the scale, particularly within the context of school-based intervention research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).