Original Research - Special Collection: COVID-19

A Rasch analysis of the fear of coronavirus-19 scale in South Africa

Sergio L. Peral, Brandon Morgan, Kleinjan Redelinghuys
SA Journal of Industrial Psychology | Vol 47 | a1861 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v47i0.1861 | © 2021 Sergio L. Peral, Brandon Morgan, Kleinjan Redelinghuys | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 December 2020 | Published: 29 June 2021

About the author(s)

Sergio L. Peral, Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Brandon Morgan, Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Kleinjan Redelinghuys, Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Orientation: Investigating the psychological aspects associated with the coronavirus disease might be important for psychological interventions. The fear of coronavirus-19 scale (FCV-19S) has emerged as a popular measure of coronavirus-19-related fear. However, its psychometric properties remain unknown in South Africa.

Research purpose: This study set out to investigate the internal validity of the FCV-19S in the South African context using the Rasch measurement model.

Motivation for the study: There have been some mixed findings on the psychometric properties of the FCV-19S in international research and its psychometric properties are yet to be investigated in South Africa. Investigating these psychometric properties can provide psychometric information to practitioners who wish to use this instrument in the South African context.

Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey research design was used. The FCV-19S was administered to 159 adults. The Rasch partial credit model was applied to the item responses to investigate the measurement quality of the FCV-19S.

Main findings: The FCV-19S showed somewhat satisfactory internal validity in the South African context within the boundaries of the current sample, and clarity was obtained on the mixed findings obtained in the previous research. Potential shortcomings of the scale were identified that might reduce its applicability to the South African context.

Practical/managerial implications: Our results provide tentative support for the internal validity of the FCV-19S in South Africa. Suggestions for the improvement of the scale are made.

Contribution/value-add: This is one of the first studies to investigate the internal validity of the FCV-19S in South Africa. Our results hold important implications for the continued use of this scale and have helped to clarify some of the mixed findings obtained in previous research.


Keywords

coronavirus-19; fear of coronavirus-19 scale; South Africa; Rasch partial credit model; reliability; validity

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Crossref Citations

1. Validation of the Spanish Version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in Long-Term Care Settings
Pilar Cárdenas Soriano, Carmen Rodriguez-Blazquez, Maria João Forjaz, Alba Ayala, Fermina Rojo-Perez, Gloria Fernandez-Mayoralas, Maria-Angeles Molina-Martinez, Carmen Perez de Arenaza Escribano, Vicente Rodriguez-Rodriguez
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health  vol: 19  issue: 23  first page: 16183  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/ijerph192316183