Validation of the Robot Anxiety Scale in Argentinean adults.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to adapt the Robot Anxiety Scale (RAS) by Nomura, Suzuki, Kanda and Kato (2006) to the general population of Greater Buenos Aires and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. A purposive sample of 543 adults between 18 and 45 years of age (60% women) answered the Spanish version of the scale, a measure of state anxiety, a measure of trait anxiety, a measure of depression and a measure of communication apprehension, as well as some questions related to socio-demographic indicators. The factor analysis yielded a bifactor model of adequate fit CFI = 0.94 TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.09 and SRMR = 0.09, in contrast to the authors’ three-factor model. Internal consistency was satisfactory returning an α= 0’86 for the Characteristics dimension and an α= 0’84 for the Communication-Discourse dimension. Gender and age introduced differences in the scale scores. Concurrent validity of the scale with state and trait anxiety was found. Implications of the findings are developed in the discussion and possible explanations of cultural factors that could explain a bifactorial model are provided.