The psychometric properties of Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) short form-Bangla

Abstract

There is a lack of available valid assessment tools (published) for assessing social anxiety symptoms among Bangladeshi people. Therefore, this study was aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (Short Form) to assess the social anxiety symptoms among Bangladeshi young adults. In this study, the data (N = 683) from the ‘Social Media Addiction among University Students’ project were utilized. Results regarding item-level information using classical test theory and item response theory demonstrated that all items of the scale had a higher discrimination index and acceptable infit and outfit mean squares. The confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor structure for the scale and strict invariance between males and females. Scale level results showed that this translated scale had good internal consistency reliabilities, composite reliability, as well as acceptable average variance extracted values, standard error of measurement, and discrimination power. Regarding validity, this scale had moderate to low correlations with loneliness and the big five personality traits. To sum up, the SAS-A-SF Bangla is a psychometrically sound measure that would be helpful for practitioners and researchers to assess the social anxiety symptoms among Bangladesh young adults.