Factor Structure and Construct Validty of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (WITF)

EF01/PC01 Plus Postage. *Anxiety; Elementary Secondary Education; *Factor Structure; Individual Characteristics; *Personality Tests; *Test Construction; *Test Validity *Childrens Manifest Anxiety Scale; Construct Validity; *What I Think and Feel The factor structure, and therety the underlying construct of the What I Think and Feel Test (RITE) was determined. The delireaticn of subscales of anxiety within this revision cf the Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale was significant, since anxiety is a multidimensicnal characteristic. Responses of 329 children (grades 1-12) to the 28 anxiety items of the WITF were factor analyzed through principal factoring with interactions; oblique and orthogonal rotation: were performed. A principal components solution was also obtained. The three factor varimax solution was retained as the most psychologically and statistically sound factorial solution. Consistent with current multidimensional thecries of anxiety, three primary anxiety factors emerged which provided support for the construct validity of the new scale: (1) physiological manifestations of anxiety; (2) worry and oversensitivity; and (3) fear and difficulty in concentrating. (Implications for test interpretation are discussed). (RD) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EOUCATION a WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF 4 EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO. OuCEO EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY Factor Structure and Construct Validty of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (WITF) Cecil R. Reynolds Department of Educational Psychology 130 Bancroft Hall UNL Lincoln, Ne 68588 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) AND Bert 0. Richmond USERS OF THE ERICSYSTEM" Department of Educational Psychology 325 Aderhold Hall UGA Athens, Ga 30602 CeZ A paper presented at the 86th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto: August, 1978. Ct)