Psychometric proprieties of the Arabic Cambridge worry scale among pregnant women

Background/Aims The reliability and validity of an Arabic version of the Cambridge worry scale have not been established among Arabic-speaking women. The aim of this study was to validate the Arabic version of the scale with a sample of pregnant women in Jordan. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with pregnant women (n=369) in their third trimester. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to explore the underlying structure of the Arabic scale. Results The exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factors construct jointly accounting for 83.7% of variance. The factors were sociomedical, socioeconomic, health of the mother/others and baby, and relationships. The confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor model with a root mean square error of approximation of 0.073. The alpha coefficient for the Arabic subscales ranged from 0.86–0.97. Conclusions The Arabic version of the scale is a valid and reliable measure of common worries during pregnancy. It can provide valuable information on common concerns experienced by Jordanian women and guide psychosocial care. Understanding women's concerns will enable healthcare professionals to provide assistance and support, as well as to better meet pregnancy-related and psychosocial needs of pregnant women.