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

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education & Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

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.

Abstract

Anxiety during pregnancy is a complex experience. Its early identification and addressing 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 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 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 software, version 20. 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 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

References

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Journal of Research in Psychopathology
Volume 7, Issue 1 - Serial Number 23
February 2026
Pages 16-25

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