Background: One of the most common mental health-related issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic is high levels of distress and anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological well being and conservation of the general population are utterly significant components of facing COVID‑19 pandemic. It seems that despite the availability of highly standardized tools to investigate COVID-19-related anxiety, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) can be helpful in different populations due to its short design. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian (Iranian) version of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (P-CAS). Methods: In this web-based cross-sectional study, 305 individuals (184 females vs. 121 males) participated. All participants were evaluated by five questionnaires, including the P-CAS, COVID Stress Scales (CSS), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Whiteley Index (WI), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Cronbach’s alpha, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and correlation coefficient were used for data analysis using SPSS 23 and AMOS-23 software. Results: The results of CFA demonstrated that the factor structure of the P-CAS was good, and the scale had an appropriate internal consistency (α = 0.80). A satisfactory convergent validity was shown due to positive correlations of the P-CAS with the related scales. Test-retest reliability of P-CAS was also satisfactory (r = 0.91). Conclusions: According to our results, the P-CAS is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate the severity of dysfunctional anxiety due to COVID-19 pandemic.

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Objectives The aim of the study was to compare personality traits and psychopathology in three groups of mothers of children with Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and healthy group. Methods This research was designed as a cross-sectional descriptive study. Participants were comprised of 93 mothers (35 in anxiety group, 27 in obsessive group, and 31 in healthy group) which were selected by available sampling. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID-I) and NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI-60) were administrated to measure the study variables. Results Results indicated that there is a significant difference (P<0.001) in the psychopathology of mothers under anxiety, obsession and healthy groups; however, this significant difference was not found between mothers in anxiety and obsession groups. Results also indicated a significant difference in mean scores of mothers in healthy group and mothers in anxiety and obsession groups especially neuroticism and openness to experience traits. Analysis of variance post hoc test showed that extraversion and openness to experience traits were significantly different in mothers of children with obsessive-compulsive disorder as compared to mothers of children with anxiety disorders and healthy group. Conclusion With reference to, psychopathology and neuroticism trait, findings showed that significant difference between mothers in anxiety and obsession group and mothers in healthy group. Thus, results of this study marked that considering parent's psychopathology in prevention and treatment of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders in children may be of great importance.

Objective: The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with numerous psychological issues, such as anxiety and distress as a result of individual, health-related, social, and economic issues. This study aims to assess the general population in Iran for the negative impacts of the current pandemic on psychological well-being and to find possible protective and risk factors when facing such situations in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 317 people participated in an online survey in Iran from August 3, 2020, to September 20, 2020. Anxiety, depression, fear of COVID-19, emotion regulation, intolerance of uncertainty, illness perception, neuroticism, social support, and self-efficacy were evaluated. Results: The results showed that measures that assess anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, intolerance of uncertainty, illness perception, neuroticism, social support, and self-efficacy were significantly related to fear of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the results of regression analysis demonstrated that neuroticism, intolerance of uncertainty, and illness perception could predict fear of COVID-19 beyond and above anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Some factors, including neuroticism, illness perception, and intolerance of uncertainty are considered risk factors for mental health during this pandemic.