title: The Florida Shock Anxiety Scale (FSAS) for patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: testing factor structure, reliability, and validity of a previously established measure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) reduces mortality in patients at risk for life-threatening arrhythmias via high energy shock. The Florida Shock Anxiety Scale (FSAS) was developed to measure ICD patient shock-related anxiety. Initial psychometric evaluation revealed good reliability and validity. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometrics of the FSAS in a large US sample of ICD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited via e-mail and the survey was completed online. Ultimately, 443 ICD patients (359 male and 421 White) completed the 10-item FSAS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Means for FSAS were comparable to previously published data (M = 15.18, SD = 6.5). Interitem reliability was good (Cronbach's α= 0.89). The FSAS was negatively correlated with single-item measures of emotional well-being (r =-0.378, P < 0.01), sense of security (r =-0.365, P < 0.01), perceived general health (r =-0.185, P < 0.01), and quality of life (r =-0.216, P < .01), demonstrating discriminant validity. Convergent validity was supported through significant correlations with number of shocks (r = 0.464, P < 0.01) and reported disruptiveness of shock (r = 0.484, P < 0.01). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a single (second-order) factor model (χ(2) [34] = 75.34, P < 0.05, comparative fit index = 0.98, root mean-square error of approximation = 0.05) had the best fit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shock anxiety as a construct can be measured in a reliable and valid method by the FSAS. These nationally representative data suggest that a single score for shock anxiety is an easy to use and appropriate method of assessment.
authors: Department of Psychology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Ford
authors: John F
authors: JF
authors: Finch
authors: Lawrence K
authors: LK
authors: Woodrow
authors: Katherine E
authors: KE
authors: Cutitta
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Shea
authors: Avi
authors: A
authors: Fischer
authors: Garrett
authors: G
authors: Hazelton
authors: Samuel F
authors: SF
authors: Sears
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015897:Comorbidity; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult