Rasch model analysis of the brief version of the social phobia and anxiety inventory (SPAI- B) in Argentinean and Spanish samples

Abstract

The valid and reliable assessment of social anxiety is an aspect of prime relevance in the context of clinical research and diagnosis. In the present study, the psychometric properties of the short version for Spanish speakers of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI-B) were assessed using the item response theory (IRT). Although the scale is widely used in several countries with diverse social and cultural contexts, validation of the scale with the Rasch model had not yet been performed in Argentinean and Spanish populations. The results make clear that the tool allows a unidimensional validation of social anxiety with a pertinent categorization of the response scale. Furthermore, the data show that the level of severity of the items is adequate and permits detection of the clinical population. Differential functioning between gender and nationality is reported and the clinical implications of these cultural differences are discussed.