Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Stirling Antenatal Anxiety Scale (SAAS)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 University of Mohaghegh Ardabili

2 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

3 Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

4 Medical student, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran, Iran.

10.22098/jrp.2025.16692.1285

Abstract

Anxiety during pregnancy is a complex experience. Early identification and addressing its causes are essential for maternal and infant health. An effective questionnaire is crucial for measuring anxiety in pregnant women. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Stirling Antenatal Anxiety Scale (SAAS) among the Iranian population. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all individuals aged 20 to 40 years who attended 7 obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Urmia, Iran, in 2024. The study sample comprised 243 individuals who were selected through convenience sampling. To assess convergent and divergent validity, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSW), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability methods. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 and Amos version 20 software.The results indicated that the Stirling Antenatal Anxiety Scale had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.86 and a test-retest reliability of 0.84. The assessments of convergent and divergent validity of the Stirling Antenatal Anxiety Scale also confirmed the acceptable validity of the questionnaire in the studied sample. The findings suggest that the Stirling Antenatal Anxiety Scale is a reliable and valid tool for assessing pregnancy-related anxiety in the Iranian population, making it useful for both clinical and research settings.

Keywords

Journal of Research in Psychopathology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 08 June 2025

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