Validation of the Canadian English and French Versions of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale in Quebec Nursing Staff

Céline Gélinas (), Marc-André Maheu-Cadotte, Élisabeth Di Nardo, Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay, Maria Cecilia Gallani, Émilie Gosselin, Christine Maheu, Sylvie D. Lambert, Melissa Richard-Lalonde, Eric Tchouaket Nguemeleu and José Côté
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Céline Gélinas: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2M7, Canada
Marc-André Maheu-Cadotte: Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1A8, Canada
Élisabeth Di Nardo: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2M7, Canada
Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay: Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1A8, Canada
Maria Cecilia Gallani: Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, Montreal, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Émilie Gosselin: School of Nursing, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
Christine Maheu: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2M7, Canada
Sylvie D. Lambert: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2M7, Canada
Melissa Richard-Lalonde: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2M7, Canada
Eric Tchouaket Nguemeleu: Department of Nursing, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, QC J7Z 0B7, Canada
José Côté: Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1A8, Canada

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 2, 1-16

Abstract: Nursing staff have been at the forefront of the pandemic, reporting high traumatic stress and anxiety levels related to high fear of COVID-19. Recommendations from previous studies include using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) as a screening tool to identify any individuals who may benefit from targeted psychological support. Thus far, the accuracy of the Canadian English and French versions of FCV-19S to detect high levels of traumatic stress and anxiety symptoms has not been examined. The objectives of this methodological psychometric study were to examine among nursing staff: (a) the structure and internal consistency of the Canadian versions of the FCV-19S and (b) its ability in detecting high levels of traumatic stress and anxiety symptoms. An anonymous online survey was distributed among nursing staff ( n = 387) in the province of Quebec (Canada). This survey included the FCV-19S and scales measuring their traumatic stress (PCL-5) and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7). Exploratory factor analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed. The one-factor structure of the FCV-19S was supported (Cronbach alpha = 0.87). The FCV-19S showed better accuracy for the detection of traumatic stress (area under the curve (AUC) 0.75 [95% CI 0.68, 0.82]) in comparison to anxiety symptoms (AUC 0.65 [95% CI 0.60, 0.74]). The FCV-19S may benefit from adaptation for its use in nursing staff and in a future pandemic context.

Keywords: psychometrics; instrument validation; predictive validation; ROC curve; coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; stress disorders; fear; stress; posttraumatic; emotions; nursing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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