Validity and reliability of the Serbian COVID Stress Scales

Abstract

This study aimed to generate a linguistic equivalent of the COVID Stress Scales (CSS) in the Serbian language and examine its psychometric characteristics. Data were collected from September to December 2020 among the general population of three cities in Republic of Serbia and Republic of Srpska, countries where the Serbian language is spoken. Participants completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, followed by the CSS and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The CSS was validated using the standard methodology (i.e., forward and backward translations, pilot testing). The reliability of the Serbian CSS was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients and convergent validity was evaluated by correlating the CSS with PSS. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the construct validity of the Serbian CSS. This study included 961 persons (52.8% males and 47.2% females). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the Serbian CSS was 0.964 and McDonald’s omega was 0.964. The Serbian CSS with 36 items and a six-factorial structure showed a measurement model with a satisfactory fit for our population (CMIN/DF = 4.391; GFI = 0.991; RMSEA = 0.025). The CSS total and all domain scores significantly positively correlated with PSS total score. The Serbian version of the CSS is a valid and reliable questionnaire that can be used in assessing COVID-19-related distress experienced by Serbian speaking people during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as future epidemics and pandemics.

COVID-19 stress syndrome in the German general population: Validation of a German version of the COVID Stress Scales

“…The means of the scale sums are comparable to other translated versions used in the general population (when means are reported), they are descriptively between, for example, the Swedish version (descriptively slightly lower values) [ 24 ] and the Serbian version (mostly descriptively slightly higher values) [ 23 ]. In the English version [data collection 03-04/2020, 16], values were slightly higher descriptively, whereas it was also shown in a longitudinal design [ 18 ] that CSS values were higher in an earlier phase of the pandemic (03-04/2020) than in a later phase (03-05/2021).…”

“…In the German version, these subscales showed a high and the highest intercorrelation ( r = .65), so that the German version also confirms their proximity to each other. Nevertheless, the two subscales seem to be sufficiently differentiated from each other [ 24 ] and international studies found in direct comparisons a superiority of the 6-factor solution over the 5-factor solution [ 19 , 23 – 25 ]. Possible explanations for this slight deviation in factor structure could be due to the dynamic events of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as country-specific incidences and measures (e.g., change in threat due to changes in incidence, increase in knowledge regarding the virus, changes in protective measures).…”

“…The CSS has now been translated and validated in over 20 languages, including Dutch, Arabic, Persian, Polish, Serbian, Spanish, and Swedish [19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. These versions were found to have a 5-or 6-factor structure, whereby in direct comparisons the 6-factorial model often showed a slightly better model fit [19,[23][24][25].…”

COVID-19-Related Stress, Fear and Online Teaching Satisfaction among Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the CSS was 0.932 (n = 36), indicating a very high level of reliability [ 30 ]. The scale was validated and translated into Serbian in 2021 [ 31 ]. COVID-19-related fear was measured by a one-dimensional COVID-19 Fear Scale (FCV-19S) [ 29 ], which uses seven items to assess the gravity of COVID-19-related fear.…”

“…The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the CSS was 0.932 (n = 36), indicating a very high level of reliability [ 30 ]. The scale was validated and translated into Serbian in 2021 [ 31 ].…”