Adaptation of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale in Turkish for the Higher Education Context: A Validity and Reliability Study

Abstract

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, several studies in medical fields have been conducted; however, the impact of the disease on individuals’ psychology has not been covered enough. The measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have brought various restrictions both in social life and in areas such as education, economy and health. Due to the pandemic and subsequent restrictions, students continuing to higher education are likely to experience some psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Therefore, studies regarding the anxiety levels of students should be carried out. In line with this need, the aim of the study is to adapt the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) into Turkish in the context of higher education. The sample consisted of 513 undergraduate and graduate students. The data collection tools were the CAS and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the factor structure of the original scale and yielded an excellent fit for all the indices. The original factor structure of the CAS was also confirmed, and the scores significantly correlated with gender, state-anxiety and health status of the participants. The scores obtained from the adapted scale were found highly reliable and valid. The increase in the spread of COVID-19, especially after the mutations of the virus have emerged, indicates that its psychological and behavioral consequences and effects might last longer. To this end, the study has valuable implications for higher education policy makers, university administrators and teaching staff.