Development and validation of the Avoidance of Respiratory Viral Infection Scale (ARVIS)
During respiratory viral epidemics and pandemics such as the COVD-19 pandemic, everyday behaviors such as leaving the house and touching frequently-used surfaces become the subject of fear and avoidance due to their potential for contagion. Despite the potential mental health related impact of this psychological phenomenon, there are currently no measures available that are designed to evaluate the extent to which individuals become fearful of these everyday situations during a respiratory viral pandemic. Here, we developed and assessed the psychometric properties of the Avoidance of Respiratory Viral Infection Scale (ARVIS) questionnaire across two samples recruited online (ns = 243, 341) recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results indicate that the ARVIS is best described by a single factor and shows a high reliability (Chronbach’s alpha > .88). It showed convergent associations with state anxiety and low discriminant associations with general trait anxiety and depression. Moreover, the ARVIS was highly associated with the extent to which subjects reported engaging in handwashing and social distancing, demonstrating criterion validity. This new scale provides a validated measure for assessing virus-related fear that can facilitate research into the psychological effects of respiratory virus pandemics.