title: [Anxiety in clinical settings: constructing a scale for medical students].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Scale of Anxiety in Clinical Setting (SACS) was constructed to assess the level of anxiety of medical students when exposed to the clinical setting and also to identify what situations are more likely to trigger higher levels of anxiety in that context.
  
  
  METHODS
  This instrument consists of 12 items and was constructed on the basis of the review of the literature on the topic of anxiety in clinical setting, and data from a focus group conducted with students between the 1st and the 5th year of the Medical course at University of Beira Interior (n = 10). The Scale of Anxiety in Clinical Setting psychometric properties were tested through a study with 557 medical students of four Portuguese universities, between the 1st and the 6th year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Scale of Anxiety in Clinical Setting validation included the analysis of three key parameters: sensitivity, reliability and factorial validity, the last resulting in four factors: 'displeasure before invasive procedures', 'anxiety toward the sick', 'anxiety about performance' and 'anxiety toward the human dimension' with 70.6% of the variance explained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total Scale of Anxiety in Clinical Setting shows a good internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.84) and a good discriminatory ability, presenting as a consistent and reliable instrument for the assessment of anxiety in medical students when exposed to the clinical setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Scale of Anxiety in Clinical Setting evaluates the anxiety in medical students when exposed to the clinical setting and may be useful in the delineation of teaching strategies for the preparation of future doctors.
authors: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde. Universidade da Beira Interior. CovilhÉ. Portugal.
authors: Joana Ramos
authors: JR
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde. Universidade da Beira Interior. CovilhÉ. Portugal.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Castelo-Branco
authors: Departamento de Psicologia e EducaçÉo. Unidade de InvestigaçÉo em Psicologia e Saúde. Universidade da Beira Interior. CovilhÉ. Portugal.
authors: Henrique
authors: H
authors: Pereira
authors: Departamento de Psicologia e EducaçÉo. Unidade de InvestigaçÉo e FormaçÉo sobre Adultos e Idosos. Universidade da Beira Interior. CovilhÉ. Portugal.
authors: Rosa Marina
authors: RM
authors: Afonso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult