The objective of this research is to validate the Spanish adaptation of the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale-Parent Version (SAAS-P). We conducted two studies with parents of schoolchildren aged 8-11 years: (1) exploratory factor analysis: 910 parents completed the Spanish version of the SAAS-P; (2) confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, and discriminant validity: 4127 parents completed the SAAS-P and 392 children were interviewed using the ADIS-IV. We identified four factors which explained 51.56% of the variance and these were confirmed by factor analysis. The internal consistency (α = 0.84) and the temporal stability (r = .75) of the four key symptom dimensions were good. The sensitivity of the scale was 90%, and its specificity, 82%. The additional subscales correlated closely with the four key symptom dimensions (r > .70), and predicted 81% and 57% of the cases with high symptom levels of separation anxiety. The results support the validity, reliability and clinical utility of the Spanish adaptation of the SAAS-P.
Keywords: Assessment; Childhood; Inventory; Parents; Questionnaire; Scale; Separation anxiety.