The Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 items (SAVE-6): A new instrument for assessing anxiety response to viral epidemics in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people have reported experiencing anxiety in response to the viral epidemic. This study aimed to explore the validity and usefulness of the Stress and Anxiety to the Viral Epidemic-6 items (SAVE-6) scale for measuring the anxiety response to the viral epidemic of the general population. A total of 1,009 respondents participated in an online survey, and 501 (49.7%) participants were rated as having at least a mild degree of anxiety response to the viral epidemic (SAVE-6 score ≥ 15), whereas 90 (8.9%) and 91 (9.0%) were rated as having depression and anxiety, respectively. The SAVE-6 scales showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .82). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor structure for the measure. Goodness-of-fit indices (χ2/df ratio = 19.1, CFI = .92; TLI = .86; SRMR = 0.05; RMSEA = .13) were adequate. The SAVE-6 was found to be a reliable, valid, and useful brief measure that can be applied to the general population. The SAVE-6 may be useful for easily assessing the anxiety symptoms during the pandemic in the general population.

Adaptation and Validation of the Malay Version of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 Items Scale Among the General Population

“…The SAVE-6 scale was originally developed to identify individuals who need psychological support, and a rating scale that can measure at least mild degrees of generalized anxiety during this pandemic has been attempted to be developed. Previously, a cut-off score of 15 among the general population or medical students in Korea ( 11 ), 16 among public workers in Korea ( 18 ), and 12 among the general population in Lebanon ( 13 ) have been reported. The cut-off score of 14 for the SAVE-6 scale among the general population in Malaysia might have been influenced by the difference in the COVID-19 situation or culture.…”

“…The original SAVE-6 Scale was developed to assess viral anxiety. It consists of six items scored on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (always) ( 11 ). Higher total scores reflect a higher level of viral anxiety.…”

“…Recently, a new rating scale called the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 Items (SAVE-6). Scale was developed in response to the need to systematically assess the psychological wellbeing of the general population at any point in response to a viral epidemic ( 11 ). This scale was derived from the original SAVE-9 Scale, which was developed to specifically assess work-related stress and viral anxiety of healthcare workers in relation to a viral epidemic ( 12 ).…”

Utility of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemic-3 Items as a Tool for Assessing Work-Related Stress, and Relationship With Insomnia and Burnout of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…It is clustered into two factors. Factor I contains six items to assess anxiety about the viral epidemic (SAVE-6) [22] and Factor II contains three items to assess work-related stress associated with the viral epidemic (SAVE-3). Respondents answer each item on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (always).…”

“…This scale was originally reported to be clustered into two subcategories [16]; Factor I examines the anxiety re-sponse to the viral epidemic (SAVE-6) and Factor II examines work-related stress associated with the viral epidemic (SAVE-3). The former SAVE-6 was already validated for the utility of assessing viral anxiety among general population [22][23][24]. In this study, we aimed to examine the unidimensional construct validity of the 3-item work-related stress associated with the viral epidemic subscale of the SAVE-9, namely SAVE-3, and we wanted to explore the utility of SAVE-3 to assess work-related stress of healthcare workers specifically in response to the viral epidemic in this pandemic era.…”