The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: A Reliability Generalization Meta-analysis

A reliability generalization meta-analysis was carried out to estimate the average reliability of the 7-item, 5-point Likert-type Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S), one of the most widespread scales developed around the COVID-19 pandemic. Different reliability coefficients from Classical Test Theory and the Rasch Measurement Model were meta-analyzed, heterogeneity among the most reported reliability estimates was examined by searching for moderators, and a predictive model to estimate the expected reliability was proposed. At least one reliability estimate was available for a total of 44 independent samples out of 42 studies, being that Cronbach’s alpha was most frequently reported. The different coefficients exhibited pooled estimates ranging from .85 to .90. The moderator analyses led to a predictive model in which the standard deviation of FCV-19S scores and the data availability explained 43.6% of the total variability among alpha coefficients. The FCV-19S has been shown to be consistently reliable regardless of the moderator variables examined.

本研究采用信度概化元分析方法，对7条目、5点李克特（Likert）型新冠恐惧量表（Fear of Covid-19 Scale, FCV-19S）的平均信度进行估计；该量表是新冠疫情期间开发的最广泛使用的量表之一。本研究对经典测验理论（Classical Test Theory）与拉希测量模型（Rasch Measurement Model）下的多种信度系数开展元分析，通过搜寻调节变量检验了最常报告的信度估计值间的异质性，并提出了用于预估预期信度的预测模型。在纳入的42项研究中共计44个独立样本可获得至少一项信度估计值，其中克朗巴哈α系数（Cronbach’s alpha）的报告频次最高。各类信度系数的合并估计值区间为0.85至0.90。调节变量分析构建的预测模型显示，FCV-19S得分的标准差与数据可用性可解释α系数总变异量的43.6%。无论所检验的调节变量如何，FCV-19S均表现出稳定可靠的测量属性。