Verification of psychometric properties of the Slovak version of the FCV-19S (Fear of COVID-19 Scale)

Abstract

Objectives. Fear of the new coronavirus, as an emotional response to a pandemic situation that has plagued the world since early 2020, has many implications for the behaviour and psychological experiences of the population. To measure the fear of coronavirus a 7-item Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) was developed, now successfully used in more than 20 countries around the world. This study deals with the verification of psychometric characteristics of the Slovak version of FCV-19S, focusing on its factor structure, measurement invariance with respect to gender, reliability in terms of internal consistency, and convergent validity based on structural equation modeling (SEM) and based on the relationship to related constructs of anxiety, depression, and stress.Sample and settings. Data were collected online (N=744; aged 17–78) during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Slovakia. Along with FCV-19S, World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, Perceived Stress Scale, and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale were administered to the respondents.Results. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-factor structure of the instrument with two subscales, Emotional and Physiological Symptoms. The FCV-19S has proven to be a gender-invariant tool, so it can be used to compare fear experiences in men and women. The results further indicate good internal consistency and convergent validity of the Slovak version of the scale.Limitations. Measurement invariance of FCV-19S across age, education or ethnic groups was not tested in the present study. The stability of the scores over time was also not examined due to the cross-sectional design. The study is limited by online data collection and convenience sampling method.