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Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Modified Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index in a Sample of Croatian Children and Adolescents

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Abstract

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) refers to a person’s tendency to fear anxiety-related symptoms due to the belief that they have harmful consequences. The Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) is a well accepted operationalization of the AS construct in children and adolescents. This study evaluated the factor structure, gender stability and psychometric properties of the CASI, modified to a 5-point scale, in a sample of Croatian children and adolescents (N = 1,679). Exploratory and confirmatory analysis and a Schmid-Leiman solution confirmed the multidimensional and hierarchical structure of the CASI, which consisted of three lower-order factors and a single higher-order factor. Further, the modification of the CASI to a 5-point scale resulted in higher reliability, while maintaining acceptable levels of factor stability and validity.

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Acknowledgments

The research reported here was conducted under the project “Anxiety and Depression in a Life-long Perspective”, funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Croatia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, I. Lucica 3, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Natasa Jokić-Begić, Tanja Jurin & Anita Lauri Korajlija

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  1. Natasa Jokić-Begić
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  2. Tanja Jurin
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  3. Anita Lauri Korajlija
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Correspondence to Natasa Jokić-Begić.

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Jokić-Begić, N., Jurin, T. & Lauri Korajlija, A. Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Modified Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index in a Sample of Croatian Children and Adolescents. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 34, 126–135 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-011-9244-7

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