The validity and reliability of the Interpreting Anxiety Scale

The aim of this research is to conduct the validity and reliability analyses of the Interpreting Anxiety Scale, which was developed for interpreting trainees. The research population consisted of fourth-year students enrolled in the Department of English Language Teaching at the universities. The validity and reliability studies of the scale were carried out with the participation of a total of 244 undergraduate students from five different universities in Türkiye. The sample was selected using the convenience sampling method. The 20-item, 5-point Likert-type scale was subjected to statistical analysis using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to assess construct validity. SPSS 26 and AMOS Graphics were used to analyze the obtained data. According to the findings from the EFA, the KMO coefficient of the scale is 0.722, and the result of Bartlett's Test of Sphericity is significant (χ² = 744.286, df = 120, p = .000). Additionally, a five-factor structure emerged from the scale. These factors were determined to explain 68.65% of the total variance. The results obtained from the EFA regarding construct validity were confirmed by CFA. As a result of the CFA, the goodness of fit indices were found as follows: χ²/df = 1.99, GFI = .92, CFI = .89, and RMSEA = .078. The fit indices obtained from the analyses were within acceptable ranges. The overall reliability coefficient of the scale was determined as 0.70. In conclusion, the scale developed to determine students' interpreting anxiety levels is considered to be a valid and reliable measurement tool.