Psychometric Properties of Revised Social Anxiety Scale in Arab Cultures

Objective: This multi-study report aimed to develop and validate an updated version of Social Anxiety Scale (Revised Social Anxiety Scale) in alignment with DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 diagnostic criteria, based on Heimberg’s cognitive-behavioral model. Method: Two independent studies were conducted. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to a sample of 314 adults from Syria and Oman to identify the factorial structure of a revised 43-item scale. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on a separate sample of 345 participants,. Results: EFA revealed a five-factor structure: (1) social situation anxiety, (2) difficulty interacting with strangers, (3) performance anxiety, (4) fear of criticism, and (5) physical symptoms. CFA confirmed the five-factor structure with excellent model fit indices (CFI = 0.961, RMSEA = 0.050). Measurement invariance across cultures (Syrian vs. Omani) and genders was established. The scale shows high internal consistency (α = .96) and strong valid criterion with established measures (SAQ-A30, SAD-D-10). Only one significant gender difference was found: the fear of negative evaluation was slightly higher in males. Conclusion: Overall, the scale demonstrates robust psychometric properties and cultural sensitivity, offering a reliable tool for clinical and research assessment of social anxiety in Arab populations. The scale further demonstrates potential clinical utility as a preliminary screening tool to enhance early diagnosis and guide culturally sensitive treatment planning.