Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Social Interaction Anxiety Scale-6 (SIAS-6) and Social Phobia Scale-6 (SPS-6) are self-reported measures of social anxiety. The aim of this study was to identify the best model for SIAS-6 and SPS-6 using the newly advanced method of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). METHODS: Both confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and ESEM were utilized to assess the factor structure of the SIAS-6 and SPS-6. Three hundred Korean adults (n (female) = 150, aged: 39.28 ± 10.91 years) participated in an online survey and responded to the SIAS-6 and SPS-6 questionnaires. RESULTS: The findings showed that the bifactor ESEM and bifactor CFA models were a better fit than the other models. General factors had high loading values and reliability coefficients, whereas specific factors had moderate loading values and reliability coefficients. Additionally, measurement invariance across sexes was established. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that bifactor models provide a unified perspective on the varying viewpoints regarding the relationship between social interaction and social performance anxiety.