Validity and reliability study of coronavirus-related psychiatric symptom scale in children - parental form

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop a scale to assess the psychiatric symptoms that may emerge owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period in children and adolescents aged 4–18 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To develop the scale, first, interviews with children, adolescents, and their parents were conducted, and the possible psychiatric symptom clusters were detected. The items were written with reference to the literature and reviewed by the experts. A 40-item scale form was shared as an online survey, and a factor analysis of the scale was carried out with data obtained from 441 participants. The test-retest reliability of the scale was carried out with data obtained from the 51 participants who filled the scale again after 14 days. RESULTS: According to the item-total correlations and factor analysis results with 40 items, 5 items with low correlation and factor load or loaded same under the two factors were removed from the scale. The final form had 35 items and had a two-factor structure. The internal consistency coefficient of the scale was calculated as 0.96, and the test-retest correlation coefficient was 0.98. CONCLUSION: Coronavirus-related psychiatric symptom scale in children - parental form is a valid and reliable scale for measuring perceived psychiatric symptoms associated with COVID-19pandemic in children aged 4–18 years by their parents.