An assessment of the psychometric properties and psychological correlates of the Greek COVID-19 Anxiety Syndrome Scale (C-19ASS)

In Greece, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with social isolation, economic crisis, considerable unemployment, and an escalation of psychological distress. Given the potential of COVID-19 to engender a long-lasting impact on mental health, validating the COVID-19 Anxiety Syndrome Scale (C-19ASS) may be beneficial in determining if fear-based behaviors may persist post-pandemic. This is a psychometric study examining the C-19ASS features across a general sample of Greeks (n = 912; female = 78%; mean age = 32.35, ±9.25). The Greek C-19ASS demonstrated a two-factor structure consistent with the original scale's perseveration and avoidance subscales. This structure was supported by confirmatory factor analysis, which demonstrated a strong fit and robust reliability along with good divergent and convergent validity evidenced by correlational analyses. The incremental validity test revealed that the Greek C-19ASS predicted functional impairment and COVID-19 anxiety independently of health anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depressive symptoms, the Big Five personality traits, pandemic-related factors, and demographic variables. The findings were discussed using a self-regulatory executive function model as a theoretical background to discuss this pandemic-related phenomenon.