COVID-19-Related Worries Measure

Abstract

The COVID-19-Related Worries Measure (CRWM), developed by Semeraro et al. in 2023, is a concise, 9-item self-report scale designed to quantify the intensity of specific worries related to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by respondents over the preceding two weeks. This measure emerged from a broader research initiative focused on understanding the complex interplay between maladaptive personality traits—specifically psychoticism, detachment, and negative affect—and overall psychological stress.

The CRWM was administered online using nine ad hoc questions to a sample of Italian adults. The authors utilized this scale to investigate the mediating role of pandemic-related worries, alongside emotional dysregulation, within the observed relationship between personality traits and stress outcomes. Initial psychometric testing provided evidence for the scale’s internal consistency, confirming its utility as a tool for assessing this specific anxiety construct during public health crises.

Keywords

COVID-19-Related Worries, Self-Report, Health Psychology Assessment, Health Anxiety, Psychological Measurement, Maladaptive Personality Traits, Emotional Dysregulation.

Authors

Semeraro, Cristina; Giofrè, David; Coppola, Gabrielle; Verri, Veronica; Bottalico, Morena; Cassibba, Rosalinda; Taurino, Alessandro.

Purpose

The primary objective of the COVID-19-Related Worries Measure is to accurately quantify the severity and intensity of concerns directly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. By focusing on the preceding two-week period, the measure provides a time-specific assessment of distress related to the ongoing public health crisis and its societal impacts.

The scale serves as a specialized assessment tool, allowing researchers to isolate worries stemming from the pandemic—such as fears regarding isolation, economic instability, and changes in daily routine—from more generalized anxiety or trait worry. This specificity is crucial for studies examining psychological vulnerability and resilience during large-scale global stressors.

Construct

The CRWM measures the psychological construct of specific, acute, and situation-dependent worry related to the COVID-19 crisis. This construct is operationalized through various thematic concerns, including personal health fears, mandated social isolation (quarantine), economic hardship, access to basic necessities, and anxiety surrounding the eventual return to pre-pandemic social and professional life.

In the context of the originating study, this construct acts as a mediator, linking stable, maladaptive personality characteristics (such as high negative affect or detachment) to elevated levels of psychological stress. The nine items capture the multidimensional nature of pandemic-induced apprehension, extending beyond simple health anxiety to encompass social and future-oriented concerns.

Validity

At the time of publication of the foundational study (Semeraro et al., 2023), specific empirical data regarding the scale’s structural, convergent, or discriminant validity were not explicitly reported or available in the provided source material.

Reliability

The reliability of the COVID-19-Related Worries Measure was assessed using internal consistency measures during its initial development and validation phase. The authors reported that the scale demonstrated acceptable reliability for a newly developed instrument.

Internal Consistency: The internal consistency of the 9-item scale, calculated using Cronbach’s alpha, was reported to be 0.81. This value indicates good homogeneity among the items, suggesting that they are consistently measuring the same underlying construct of pandemic-related worry.

Factor Analysis

Specific data detailing the results of an exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis for the COVID-19-Related Worries Measure are not available in the provided source content. Therefore, the dimensional structure of the scale requires further psychometric investigation.

Instrument

Test Type: Original (Ad hoc measure developed specifically for the associated research study)

Format: The measure utilizes a 5-point Likert scale. Participants are instructed to indicate how intense their concerns have been over the past two weeks, ranging from 1 = not at all to 5 = very much.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older), encompassing Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs), Thirties (30-39 yrs), Middle Age (40-64 yrs), and Aged (65 yrs & older)

Population Details: The initial sample consisted of Italian Adults, with data collection conducted in Italy.

Test Methodology: Test Reliability; Internal Consistency

Keywords

COVID-19 Worries, Psychological Stress, Self-Report Scale, Personality and Individual Differences, Health Anxiety, Psychometric Assessment, Italian Adults.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available.

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Semeraro, Cristina: University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Education, Psychology, Communication; [email protected]

• Giofrè, David: University of Genova, Department of Educational Sciences

• Coppola, Gabrielle: University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Education, Psychology, Communication

• Verri, Veronica: University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Education, Psychology, Communication

• Bottalico, Morena: University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Education, Psychology, Communication

• Cassibba, Rosalinda: University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Education, Psychology, Communication

• Taurino, Alessandro: University of Bari Aldo Moro, Department of Education, Psychology, Communication

Correspondence Address:

Semeraro, Cristina: University of Studies of Bari (Italy), Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology, Communication, Palazzo Chiaia – Napolitano, Floor 4 – Room 406, Via Scipione Crisanzio, 42, Bari, Italy, 70122, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: May use for Research/Teaching

Commercial: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Semeraro, C., Giofrè, D., Coppola, G., Verri, V., Bottalico, M., Cassibba, R., & Taurino, A. (2023). The role of maladaptive personality traits on psychological stress the mediating effects of COVID-19-related worries and emotional dysregulation. Personality and Individual Differences, 213, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112270

Items of the COVID-19-Related Worries Measure

This measure consists of 9 items. Specific item content is available in the supplemental material of the source reference (2023-98991-001, Supplemental Material, Page 3).

Items:

I’ll have to socially isolate myself because of suspected or certain positivity for COVID-19 (mandatory quarantine)

I am afraid that basic necessities (e.g., food, clothes, medicines, masks, sanitizers) sufficiently for the whole population

I am concerned about my current economic condition

I am afraid to relate to the outside world, to leave home, and to return to my “old” everyday life

I am worried because when I return to my “old” daily routine I will not have enough time for my passions or activities that I used to do while working or studying at home

I am worried about achieving my future goals

Note: Items are rated on a scale ranging from 1 to 5 (1 = not at all and 5 = very much). Items are in reference to concerns over the past 2 weeks.