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ERIC Number: ED597346
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 114
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-0-4387-1656-8
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
Development of the Elementary Anxiety Scale for Youth (EASY): A Brief Universal Screener of School-Based Anxiety Scale
Webb, Anne Frank
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University
Although there are several comprehensive measures of children's anxiety symptoms, many have limited utility for screening within school settings. As such, the primary purpose of this dissertation was to develop a brief self-report anxiety measure appropriate for use with students in Grades 3-8. An initial pool of 50 items was developed based on DSM-5 and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria, reviews of existing anxiety measures, and expert feedback. These items were piloted with 92 students in a rural school district. The first round of analyses focused on the item reduction and item analyses of the measure using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) approach. Based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 of the 50 items were selected to be entered into the EFA. As a result, a two-factor model with 13 items was supported by the data, and the items loading on the two factors were meaningful in content. The first factor focused on general anxiety experienced within the school environment while the second factor focused on anxiety experienced specific to evaluative situations and performance within the school setting. After the item reduction, data were evaluated for internal consistency and convergent validity of the final scale. Overall, internal consistency was good with Cronbach alpha values > 0.80 for the two subscales and the EASY Total score. Correlations between EASY scores and scores from the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED; Birmaher et al., 1999) were mostly in the low range. Correlations with parent report of students' anxiety were also low. Overall, support for a two-factor model with meaningful scales was found that provides a basis for an adequate screening measure. Future research should focus on item revision given the different symptomatology and developmental levels in children. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Grade 3; Primary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools; Grade 6; Grade 7; Junior High Schools; Secondary Education; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A