Cited by 1,169COVID-19 and Mental HealthAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Development and initial validation of the COVID Stress Scales

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Taylor, Steven, Landry, Caeleigh A., Paluszek, Michelle M., Fergus, Thomas A., McKay, Dean, Asmundson, Gordon J.G.·2020·Journal of Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

Research and clinical observations suggest that during times of pandemic many people exhibit stress- or anxiety-related responses that include fear of becoming infected, fear of coming into contact with possibly contaminated objects or surfaces, fear of foreigners who might be carrying infection (i.e., disease-related xenophobia), fear of the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic, compulsive checking and reassurance-seeking regarding possible pandemic-related threats, and traumatic stress symptoms about the pandemic (e.g., nightmares, intrusive thoughts). We developed the 36-item COVID Stress Scales (CSS) to measure these features, as they pertain to COVID-19. The CSS were developed to better understand and assess COVID-19-related distress. The scales were intentionally designed so they could be readily adapted for future pandemics. The CSS were developed and initially validated in population-representative samples from Canada (N = 3479) and the United States (N = 3375). A stable 5-factor solution was identified, corresponding to scales assessing COVID-related stress and anxiety symptoms: (1) Danger and contamination fears, (2) fears about economic consequences, (3) xenophobia, (4) compulsive checking and reassurance seeking, and (5) traumatic stress symptoms about COVID-19. The scales performed well on various indices of reliability and validity. The scales were intercorrelated, providing evidence of a COVID Stress Syndrome. The scales offer promise as tools for better understanding the distress associated with COVID-19 and for identifying people in need of mental health services.

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Authors
Taylor, S., Landry, C. A., Paluszek, M. M., Fergus, T. A., McKay, D., & Asmundson, G. J. G.
Affiliations
  • University of British Columbia (CA)
  • University of Regina (CA)
  • Baylor University (US)
  • Fordham University (US)
Corresponding author
Asmundson, Gordon J.G.
Venue
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-05
Volume
72
Pages
102232
ISSN
0887-6185 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3020973746
Cited by
1,169
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 67 · 2024: 111 · 2023: 219 · 2022: 270 · 2021: 344 · 2020: 123 · 2015: 1
FWCI
95.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Anxiety Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Fordham Research Commons (Fordham University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Keywords
COVID Stress Scale, COVID-19 pandemic, pandemic stress, anxiety, fear of contamination, economic impact of pandemic, compulsive checking, reassurance seeking, traumatic stress symptoms, scale development, scale validation, mental health screening
MeSH terms
COVID-19, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anxiety, Canada, Fear, Female, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans, Male, Mental Health Services, Middle Aged, Pneumonia, Viral, Psychometrics, Stress, Psychological, Reproducibility of Results, Coronavirus Infections, Young Adult, Pandemics

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