Normative data for the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) in Swedish adolescents

The Swedish translation of a new scale developed for childhood and adolescent anxiety, the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), was studied regarding reliability and convergent validity and to obtain norms in a general population. Four hundred and five adolescents, reasonably representative of Swedish adolescents, were asked to rate their anxiety symptoms on the MASC. In order to study the convergent validity, they also rated their depressive symptoms on the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), their attitude to their body on the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA) and filled in demographical data on themselves. The MASC showed adequate internal consistency both for the whole scale (alpha = 0.87) and for subscales (range 0.64-0.84). The scale showed convergent validity through a moderate correlation with the CDI (r = 0.400, P = 0.0001)and the BESAA (r = -0.29, P=0001). Girls scored higher (mean 38.9) than boys (mean = 31.9) on the MASC total score (t(385) = 5.14, P = 0.0001) and on the subscales, except Harm avoidance. Using the MASC as a general screen for anxiety, scores of 48 for boys and 56 for girls using MASC total scores, or scores of 15 for boys and 17 for girls using the Anxiety Disorders Index could be employed ( both representing the 90th percentiles). The MASC appears to be a reliable and valid scale both on the global and on the subscale level.