Proposed Cut-Off Score for the Japanese Version of the Fear of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Scale (FCV-19S): Evidence from a Large-Scale National Survey in Japan

Haruhiko Midorikawa; Hirokazu Tachikawa; Miyuki Aiba; Yuki Shiratori; Daichi Sugawara; Naoaki Kawakami; Ryo Okubo; Takahiro Tabuchi

doi:10.3390/ijerph20010429

Proposed Cut-Off Score for the Japanese Version of the Fear of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Scale (FCV-19S): Evidence from a Large-Scale National Survey in Japan

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 27;20(1):429. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20010429.

Authors

Haruhiko Midorikawa¹, Hirokazu Tachikawa², Miyuki Aiba³, Yuki Shiratori⁴, Daichi Sugawara⁵, Naoaki Kawakami⁵, Ryo Okubo⁶, Takahiro Tabuchi⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Tsukuba Hospital, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan.
² Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan.
³ Faculty of Human Sciences, Toyo Gakuen University, 1-26-3 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan.
⁵ Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan.
⁶ Department of Neuropsychiatry, National Hospital Organization Obihiro Hospital, 18-2-16, Obihiro 080-8518, Japan.
⁷ Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, 3-1-69 Otemae, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-8567, Japan.

Abstract

The Fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Scale (FCV-19S) is a seven-item self-administered psychological scale for measuring the fear of this disease. The scale has been widely adapted and validated worldwide. This study aimed to propose a cut-off score for the validated Japanese version of the FCV-19S. We conducted a nationwide online survey and included 26,286 respondents in the analysis. Respondents answered questions on their sociodemographic characteristics, and using the FCV-19S and six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, we measured psychological distress and assessed whether the fear of COVID-19 interfered with their daily lives. A total score of ≥21 points was considered adequate to identify those with psychological distress or difficulties in daily living because of the fear of COVID-19. This cut-off score will contribute to mental health assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; depression; fear; mental health; psychological scale.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
Fear
Humans
Japan / epidemiology
Pandemics

Grants and funding

This research was funded by JST RISTEX “SOLVE for SDGs: Preventing Social Isolation & Loneliness and Creating Diversified Social Networks” (Grant No. JPMJRX21K2), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grants (Grant No. 18H03062, 19K22788, 21H04856), the JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (Grant No. 19K20171), and the Japan Health Research Promotion Bureau Research Fund (2020-B-09).