Exploratory factor analysis of the Coronavirus Fears Scale

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the implemented measures have generated fear, stress, depression and anxiety worldwide. To measure these effects on mental health, useful scales have been developed for research and to measure the effectiveness of interventions. The Coronavirus Fears Scale [Escala de Miedos al Coronavirus, EMC] was created and validated originally in the Spanish population, showing adequate psychometric properties. The aim of the present research was to examine the factorial structure and internal consistency of the EMC in Colombia. Based on a sample of 151 participants three factors with an eigenvalue > 1 were identified which explained 64% of the variance. In conclusion, the EMC with 18 items possesses adequate psychometric properties in working adults, both in terms of its factorial structure and reliability, and can be useful to identify COVID-19-related fears in this kind of population.