Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Study Anxiety Questionnaire (SAQ). METHODS: This methodological study was conducted in 2024 among 380 medical sciences students at Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The face and content validity of the questionnaire were assessed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches following a forward-backward translation process. After confirming the adequacy of the sample, explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated using the average variance extracted (AVE), maximum shared squared variance (MSV), composite reliability (CR) values and Heterotrait-Monotrait (HTMT) ratio. To determine reliability, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and Macdonald's omega coefficients, while stability was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: No items were removed during the content validity phase. The Maximum Likelihood Exploratory Factor Analysis (MLEFA) identified four components of the SAQ (Motivational, Academic anxiety, Cognitive, and Test anxiety) comprising 19 items in total, which collectively accounted for 51.42% of the total variance. The confirmatory factor analysis results indicated a good fit for the 19-item model of the questionnaire. The AVE, CR, and HTMT values indicate acceptable levels of convergent and discriminant validity. The Cronbach's alpha, Macdonald's omega, and intraclass correlation coefficients were all within acceptable ranges, indicating strong internal consistency and stability for the Persian version of the SAQ. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the Persian version of the SAQ possesses sufficient validity and reliability for assessing study anxiety among Iranian medical sciences students.