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Factor Structure, Reliability and Validity of the Taiwanese Version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children

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Abstract

The aims of this study were to examine the factor structure, internal consistency 1 month test–retest reliability and the discriminant validity for the diagnosis of anxiety disorder of the Taiwanese version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC-T). A total of 12,536 Taiwanese children and adolescents in the community were recruited to examine the adequacy of the original four-factor structure of the MASC-T by confirmatory factor analysis and the internal-consistency reliability by Cronbach’s alpha across gender and age. The 1 month test–retest reliability was examined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) in 105 children and adolescents in the community. The discriminant validity of the MASC-T for the diagnosis of anxiety disorder was examined in 132 children and adolescents from clinical units. The results of this study supported the four-factor structure of the MASC-T in Taiwanese children and adolescents and the four-factor structure was invariant across gender and age. The 1 month test–retest reliability of the MASC-T was in the satisfactory to excellent range and the internal consistency reliability of the Physical Symptoms, Harm Avoidance, and Social Anxiety scales was acceptable. The discriminant validity of the total MASC-T and the anxiety disorder index for the diagnosis of any anxiety disorder was also confirmed. These results indicate that the MASC-T is appropriate for assessing anxiety in Taiwanese children and adolescents.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially supported by grant NSC 98-2410-H-037-005-MY3 awarded by the National Science Council, Taiwan (ROC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, and Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Cheng-Fang Yen & Pinchen Yang

  2. Department of Child Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital- Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Yu-Yu Wu

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Fan-Ching Hsu

  4. Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Minhsiung Township, Chiayi County, 62102, Taiwan

    Chung-Ping Cheng

Authors
  1. Cheng-Fang Yen
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  2. Pinchen Yang
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  3. Yu-Yu Wu
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  4. Fan-Ching Hsu
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  5. Chung-Ping Cheng
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Correspondence to Chung-Ping Cheng.

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Yen, CF., Yang, P., Wu, YY. et al. Factor Structure, Reliability and Validity of the Taiwanese Version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 41, 342–352 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-010-0172-7

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