The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory: A validation study

Abstract

The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory (PAI) assesses anxiety symptoms individuals attribute to the presence of a pandemic. We conducted this study of 379 British adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that the PAI exhibited excellent reliability and solid criterion validity. Pandemic anxiety was associated with reduced social support, anticipated life changes, financial strain, job loss, economic insecurity, and the hospitalization or death of a close friend or relative. Using correlational and bifactor analyses, we found that the PAI demonstrated solid convergent and discriminant validity. The findings suggest that the PAI can be used in research and clinical practice.

Measurement invariance of the Pandemic Anxiety Inventory in different demographic groups

“…We constructed the PAI for the purpose of advancing clinical practice and research bearing on the psychological sequelae of pandemics. Between this study of measurement invariance among demographic groups and the previous study of the criterion and construct validity of the instrument [ 1 ], the PAI appears to be a promising instrument that may be helpful in research and practice.…”

“…In this psychometrically-driven extension of the paper by Schonfeld et al [ 1 ], we originally recruited 424 participants living in the United Kingdom but excluded (a) 28 because they did not respond to the PAI items, (b) nine because they responded affirmatively to a filter question that asked if they responded randomly, and (c) another eight individuals who failed to respond to the item asking about random responding. The final sample thus comprised 379 adults (age > 18).…”

“…The Pandemic Anxiety Inventory (PAI) is a 10-item, unidimensional measure developed to assess anxiety symptoms that individuals expressly attribute to the presence of a pandemic [ 1 ]. The instrument thus contrasts with cause-neutral anxiety symptom scales such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) [ 2 ].…”

“…Research on the PAI indicates that higher scores are related to subjective beliefs about how widespread the COVID-19 virus is in the individual’s locality, reduced social support, financial strain, job insecurity, job loss, sleep problems, stress symptoms, and hospitalization and death of someone close [ 1 ]. The PAI exhibits factorial validity and can be used based on its total score.…”

“…The PAI exhibits factorial validity and can be used based on its total score. The instrument has also shown evidence of convergent and discriminant validity with regard to a cause-neutral measure of anxiety [ 1 ].…”