COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown
Clinical observations suggest that during times of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown university students exhibit stress-related responses to fear of contagion and to limitations of personal and relational life. The study aims to describe the development and validation of the 7-item COVID-19 Student Stress...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-10-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576758/full |
| _version_ | 1818130448551772160 |
|---|---|
| author | Maria Clelia Zurlo Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta Federica Vallone Federica Vallone |
| author_facet | Maria Clelia Zurlo Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta Federica Vallone Federica Vallone |
| author_sort | Maria Clelia Zurlo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Clinical observations suggest that during times of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown university students exhibit stress-related responses to fear of contagion and to limitations of personal and relational life. The study aims to describe the development and validation of the 7-item COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire (CSSQ), a measurement tool to assess COVID-19-related sources of stress among university students. The CSSQ was developed and validated with 514 Italian university students. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted with one split-half sub-sample to investigate the underlining dimensional structure, suggesting a three-component solution, which was confirmed by the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with the second one split-half sub-sample (CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.06). The CSSQ three subscales measure COVID-19 students’ stressors related to (1) Relationships and Academic Life (i.e., relationships with relatives, colleagues, professors, and academic studying); (2) Isolation (i.e., social isolation and couple’s relationship, intimacy and sexual life); (3) Fear of Contagion. A Global Stress score was also provided. The questionnaire revealed a satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71; McDonald’s omega = 0.71). Evidence was also provided for convergent and discriminant validity. The study provided a brief, valid and reliable measure to assess perceived stress to be used for understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown among university students and for developing tailored interventions fostering their wellbeing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:05:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5347650a5bd6484fa5f4917813d4b4cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T08:05:12Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5347650a5bd6484fa5f4917813d4b4cc2022-12-22T01:15:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782020-10-011110.3389/fpsyg.2020.576758576758COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic LockdownMaria Clelia Zurlo0Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta1Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta2Federica Vallone3Federica Vallone4Dynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyDynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyDynamic Psychology Laboratory, Department of Political Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, ItalyClinical observations suggest that during times of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown university students exhibit stress-related responses to fear of contagion and to limitations of personal and relational life. The study aims to describe the development and validation of the 7-item COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire (CSSQ), a measurement tool to assess COVID-19-related sources of stress among university students. The CSSQ was developed and validated with 514 Italian university students. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted with one split-half sub-sample to investigate the underlining dimensional structure, suggesting a three-component solution, which was confirmed by the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with the second one split-half sub-sample (CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.06). The CSSQ three subscales measure COVID-19 students’ stressors related to (1) Relationships and Academic Life (i.e., relationships with relatives, colleagues, professors, and academic studying); (2) Isolation (i.e., social isolation and couple’s relationship, intimacy and sexual life); (3) Fear of Contagion. A Global Stress score was also provided. The questionnaire revealed a satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71; McDonald’s omega = 0.71). Evidence was also provided for convergent and discriminant validity. The study provided a brief, valid and reliable measure to assess perceived stress to be used for understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown among university students and for developing tailored interventions fostering their wellbeing.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576758/fullCOVID-19health psychologypandemic lockdownuniversity studentsvalidation |
| spellingShingle | Maria Clelia Zurlo Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta Maria Francesca Cattaneo Della Volta Federica Vallone Federica Vallone COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown Frontiers in Psychology COVID-19 health psychology pandemic lockdown university students validation |
| title | COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown |
| title_full | COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown |
| title_short | COVID-19 Student Stress Questionnaire: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Evaluate Students’ Stressors Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown |
| title_sort | covid 19 student stress questionnaire development and validation of a questionnaire to evaluate students stressors related to the coronavirus pandemic lockdown |
| topic | COVID-19 health psychology pandemic lockdown university students validation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576758/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariacleliazurlo covid19studentstressquestionnairedevelopmentandvalidationofaquestionnairetoevaluatestudentsstressorsrelatedtothecoronaviruspandemiclockdown AT mariafrancescacattaneodellavolta covid19studentstressquestionnairedevelopmentandvalidationofaquestionnairetoevaluatestudentsstressorsrelatedtothecoronaviruspandemiclockdown AT mariafrancescacattaneodellavolta covid19studentstressquestionnairedevelopmentandvalidationofaquestionnairetoevaluatestudentsstressorsrelatedtothecoronaviruspandemiclockdown AT federicavallone covid19studentstressquestionnairedevelopmentandvalidationofaquestionnairetoevaluatestudentsstressorsrelatedtothecoronaviruspandemiclockdown AT federicavallone covid19studentstressquestionnairedevelopmentandvalidationofaquestionnairetoevaluatestudentsstressorsrelatedtothecoronaviruspandemiclockdown |