416 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. A study: Semi-confirmatory factor analysis and reliability of the Symptom Assessment-45 questionnaire in Peruvian population Miguel Vallejos- Flores1+ Aaron Caycho- Caja2 Walter Capa- Luque3 Alexandra Chavez Santamaria4 Gino Reyes-Baca5 Ronald Hernandez- Vasquez6 1,3,4Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, Lima, Peru. 1Email: mvallejosf@unfv.edu.pe 3Email: wcapa@unfv.edu.pe 4Email: alexandrachavezsantamaria@gmail.com 2Universidad Continental, Lima, Peru. 2Email: acaycho@continental.edu.pe 5Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Lima, Peru. 5Email: gino.reyes@ucv.edu.pe 6Universidad Privada Norbert Wiener, Lima, Peru. 6Email: ronald.hernandez@outlook.com.pe (+ Corresponding author) ABSTRACT Article History Received: 17 May 2023 Revised: 15 August 2023 Accepted: 4 October 2023 Published: 24 November 2023 Keywords Effect size ESEM Factor congruence indices Semi-confirmatory factor analysis Symptom assessment-45. The study of psychopathological variables constitutes a valuable resource in the field of mental health, but even more so when there are evaluation support tools that facilitate its exploration. In addition, when these tools are valid and reliable, they provide optimal data, which guides towards a better intervention response, which is extremely necessary in the face of the reality that exists in terms of mental health needs. Therefore, this work seeks to analyze the evidence of the construct validity of SA-45, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. In addition, to find the reliability of the Symptom Assessment-45 Questionnaire (SA-45). The SA-45, and other measures (LOT-4, DASS-21) were applied to 1637 subjects from different regions of Peru, aged 18 to 65. Then, a semi-confirmatory factor analysis was performed by means of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and an objective matrix with Procrustes rotation to identify the hypothesized dimensions. All nine dimensions hypothesized by previous studies were found to have favorable factor congruence coefficients (FCC-total >.85), adequate factor saturations (λ >.30), acceptable to high internal consistency alpha, omega, and ordinal alpha coefficients (>.70), and satisfactory goodness-of-fit (RMSEA = 0.004, RMSR = 0.021, FCC = 0.99, GFI = 1.000). Likewise, the validity in relation to other instruments such as the DASS-21 and the LOT-R reports Pearson correlation coefficients with medium and large effect sizes (r =.30 and r =.50) in their dimensions. The SA-45 is a theoretically and psychometrically supported instrument for use in young and adult populations. Contribution/Originality: The first Peruvian version of the SA-45 was validated using the semi-confirmatory factor analysis technique from the exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) approach. 1. INTRODUCTION Psychopathological variables constitute a wide range of conditions on which immediate action is required, due to the impact on people's lives and the relevance acquired in the context of the health crisis, since the spread of Sars- Cov-2 not only directly affects the physical health but also the mental health of many people in the world (Ezpeleta, Humanities and Social Sciences Letters 2023 Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 416-426 ISSN(e): 2312-4318 ISSN(p): 2312-5659 DOI: 10.18488/73.v11i4.3530 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6380-3412 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1478-8954 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4342-9264 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4350-1561 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5869-4218 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1263-2454 mailto:mvallejosf@unfv.edu.pe mailto:wcapa@unfv.edu.pe mailto:alexandrachavezsantamaria@gmail.com mailto:acaycho@continental.edu.pe mailto:gino.reyes@ucv.edu.pe mailto:ronald.hernandez@outlook.com.pe https://www.doi.org/10.18488/73.v11i4.3530 Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 417 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Navarro, De La Osa, Trepat, & Penelo, 2020; Ramírez-Ortiza, Castro-Quinteroa, Lerma-Córdobaa, Yela-Ceballosa, & Escobar-Córdobaa, 2020). In this scenario, self-report instruments are basic resources for support in clinical practice (Fernández- Montalvo & Echeburúa, 2006). Therefore, it is important to explore some type of instrument that not only collects specific aspects but also allows a global assessment of the individual's psychological state, such as the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90; Derogatis (1990), one of the most widely used tools in the world, both for clinical and research applications, whose base responds to statistical and clinical criteria, giving rise to a total of 9 scales: anxiety, depression, agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsion, paranoid ideation, interpersonal sensitivity, psychoticism, hostility, and somatization, all of which are prominent and highly prevalent in mental health (Bados, Balaguer, & Coronas, 2005; Ezpeleta et al., 2020). Even though the SCL-90 is so widely used, it is important to note that it does have some problems. These include observations after factorial and discriminant validity analyses, an imbalance in the number of items tha t make up scales, overlapping between items, and a log length that often leads to the immersion of extraneous variables, making it hard to get a real scope in the results obtained (Gempp & Avendaño, 2008; Vassend & Skrondal, 1999). Therefore, it is advisable to search for brief tools that facilitate less time consumption by the evaluate, generating an environment of gratification when answering the questions and making possible the development of multivariate research, a situation that is difficult with extensive tests (Maruish, Bershadsky, & Goldstein, 1998). In view of these considerations, Alvarado, Sandín, Valdez-Medina, González-Arratia, and Rivera (2012) consider that the use of the SCL-90 can still be optimal if a version that improves the presentation of its items and offers a brief proposal is available, as is the case of the Symptom Assessment-45 Questionnaire (SA-45) (Davison et al., 1997), which maintains the same number of components as SCL-90; additionally, it provides fairness in the number of items on each scale, reduces overlap between items, as well as the immersion of extraneous variables. To find out what the SA-45 can measure, Maruish et al. (1998) looked at a clinical sample of 126 U.S. adults and found that the SA-45 can predict the Global Severity Index (GSI) and that it stays stable over time after three months. Additionally, they identified evidence of convergent validity with the SF-12 Health Survey. Later, Sandín, Valiente, Chorot, Santed, and Lostao (2008), in a Spanish context, using a university sample, verified a 9-dimensional structure of the SA-45 as well as moderate correlations between factors. Regarding discriminant and convergent validity, the authors found that the instrument provided appropriate data in the correlations obtained. In terms of reliability, they obtained an overall alpha coefficient of 0.95 and values above 0.70 in their dimensions, except for the psychoticism scale (Sandín et al., 2008). Alvarado et al. (2012), in a Mexican university context, also confirmed that the SA-45 maintains its structure of nine related factors. Additionally, they reported an overall alpha of 0.96 and values between 0.70 and 0.85 for the dimensions, except for the subscale of psychoticism (alpha less than 0.70). Slavin-Mulford, Perkey, Blais, Stein, and Sinclair (2015) in North America reported evidence of the validity of the SA-45 in a clinical sample; they specified that the instrument possessed divergence and convergence when correlated with the scales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Then, Holgado, Vila, and Barbero (2019) used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on a non-clinical sample of Spanish people and found a nine-factor structure. However, some items had factor saturations that were different from what Sandín et al. (2008) and Maruish et al. (1998) had found. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of Holgado et al. confirms the structure found with favorable goodness of fit and internal consistency except for the psychoticism scale (α = 0.57). Within their conclusions, Holgado et al. (2019) note that the studies by Maruish et al. (1998) and Sandín et al. (2008) were conducted with clinical samples, so they prefer to give support to their version since it was conducted with population with no previous psychopathological diagnoses. Based on what has been reported, it is convenient to explore the psychometric exploration of the SA-45 in different contexts. Both the Peruvian and international environments demand continuity and the study of its Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 418 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. validity and reliability because it is of great importance for cross-cultural studies and clinical evaluation, providing support functions, establishing intervention measures, and in this way achieving timely attention to various mental health problems (Ezpeleta et al., 2020; Fernández-Montalvo & Echeburúa, 2006; Garcia, 2019; López & Becoña, 2006; Tundo, Betro’, & Necci, 2021). The main objective of this study is to examine the evidence of the validity of the SA-45 through procedures such as Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM), the Semi-Confirmatory Factor Analysis (SCFA) technique, and the relationship of the construct with other variables that measure the convergence and divergence of the instrument. Finally, the reliability of the SA-45 is analyzed based on the internal consistency method in order to corroborate the accuracy of the instrument. 2. METHODS 2.1. Participants A total of 1637 adults between 18 and 65 years of age participated, 36.1% male, distributed among five macro- regions of Peru. Lima was represented by 33.6% of the sample, the Northern region by 19.4% (Ancash, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Cajamarca, and Piura), the Northeastern region by 14.2% (Amazonas, San Martin, and Loreto), the Central region by 21.5% (Junín, Ayacucho, and Apurímac) and the Southern region by 11% (Ica, Tacna, Arequipa, Cuzco, and Puno). 63.9% of the sample was female. The sample was non-probabilistic for convenience. 2.2. Instruments The Symptom Assessment-45 Questionnaire (SA-45) was adapted by Davison et al. (1997) to identify depression, anxiety, somatization, hostility, psychoticism, interpersonal sensitivity, phobic anxiety, obsessive -compulsive, and paranoid ideation, following the structure of the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) (Derogatis, 1990). The instrument presents response options ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very or extremely present). In its version translated into Spanish, the instrument presented a structure of nine related factors: the best fit model x2/gl = 1.67, the Comparative Fit Index (CFI = 0.88), the Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR = 0.06), the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA = 0.04), and also showed adequate reliability with coefficients between α = 0.70 and 0.80 with the exception of the psychoticism factor (Sandín et al., 2008). Subsequently, the version by Holgado et al. (2019) obtained better fit indices than the study by Sandín et al. (2008), although the latter emphasizes that its validation is appropriate for non-clinical samples. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) self-report was developed in its extended version by Lovibond and Lovibond (1995). For the study, we used the brief version, the DASS-21, validated for American and Spanish university students (Bados et al., 2005), and there is also a Chilean version (Daza, Novy, Stanley, & Averill, 2002) with favorable psychometric properties. Dispositional optimism (Life Orientation Test/LOT-R), revised version (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994). It consists of 10 items (three items assess optimism, three pessimism, and four items function as fillers), with five-point Likert responses ranging from strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1). The LOT-R has demonstrated internal structure validity and reliability (Angelo, Bido, Corrêa, Hupfer, & Brandão, 2021; Gustems-Carnicer, Calderón, & Santacana, 2017; Hinz et al., 2017; Rondon & Angelucci, 2016). 2.3. Procedure Through a virtual form, SA-45 was applied to the participants, together with the complementary instruments for the test convergence assessment, in a time of approximately 25 minutes. The participants agreed voluntarily and anonymously, preserving the confidentiality of the data provided and guaranteeing the absence of any type of harm surrounding the evaluation process (Aparisi, 2010). It is emphasized that this study was developed considering the version of Holgado et al. (2019), since the type of factorial structure obtained is more appropriate for university and Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 419 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. non-clinical samples. The remaining studies, Alvarado et al. (2012) and Sandín et al. (2008), have considered the version of Maruish et al. (1998) developed with a clinical sample, despite the fact that the sample of both were university students. 2.4. Data Analysis We did a descriptive analysis of the data by looking at skewness and kurtosis values within the expected cut-off points (± 1.5). We also used the standardized skewness index (SSI) to get a better idea of how symmetric the variables were. The ESEM approach was performed under the SCFA technique using a Target Matrix (TM), in addition to using a Procrustes rotation (Browne, 1972). The ESEM approach of the aforementioned SCFA allows factor analysis to be placed in an intermediate position between the exploratory and confirmatory strategies and provides greater flexibility to establish a match between theory and the data obtained (Marsh, Morin, Parker, & Kaur, 2014), and its use has been recommended in multidimensional personality scales in which it is difficult to find simple structures such as those indicated by Thurstone, and items are found to load on one dimension and saturate on another, showing its factorial complexity (Dominguez-Lara, Merino-Soto, Zamudio, & Guevara-Cordero, 2018), as is the case with the SA-45, which has nine dimensions. Additionally, the use of the TM helps us guide the data from the theory since it operates using a pre-specified or semi-specified TM. It indicates that each item loads on one factor and not on the others, to which is added a Procrustes rotation that adjusts the data to those expe cted in the TM (Digman, 1967). For the present case, the TM was semi-specified with a factor saturation value of 0.9 when the item loaded on the respective factor and a factor loading of 0.15 on the remaining dimensions on which the item should not load. The same procedure is performed for the remaining dimensions. After this step, the Factor Congruence Coefficients (FCC) (Tucker, 1951) are obtained, which indicate the degree of correspondence between the matrix proposed and the data obtained, with values greater than .80 being expected. Finally, the internal consistency coefficient alpha, ordinal alpha, and McDonald's omega are obtained. The latter two are more appropriate for ordinal variables such as those used in this study, and the study is completed with evidence of convergent and discriminant validity and the calculation of their effect size (Cohen, 1988). The above procedures were carried out using Excel spreadsheets and, in particular, the Factor software of Rovira University, which allows the execution of the SCFA with TM and Procrustes rotation. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1 provides the descriptive statistics of the SA45, showing skewness and kurtosis coefficients mostly in the expected range (±1.5). Furthermore, outliers were removed using the Mahalanobis distance. In addition, the mean and standard deviation of each variable analyzed are shown. After the descriptive analysis, the semi-confirmatory factor analysis of the SA-45 was performed considering the nine dimensions hypothesized by the study of Holgado et al. (2019). In this regard, measures of the adequacy of the factorial matrix were obtained, finding favorable values such as a determinant of the matrix < 0.000; the Kaiser- Meyer-Olkin test (KMO = 0.965; Bartlett's test = 15291.1 (p = 0.00); that is, the correlation matrix may be factorizable. Subsequently, the target matrix (TM) was used to approximate the solution matrix to a previously specified TM by means of a Procrustes rotation. According to the findings, it is observed that this even evidences a favorable goodness-of-fit measure (RMSEA = 0.004, RMSR = 0.021, FCC = 0.99, GFI = 1.000 ; Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI = 1.000), and the factor loadings are acceptable to satisfactory (λ > 0.30), as seen in Table 2. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 420 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Table 1. Mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis and SSI of the SA- 45. Item M S.D. G1 G2 SSI SA1 0.69 0.92 1.28 1.07 0.7561 SA2 0.42 0.66 1.62 2.79 1.8595 SA3 0.84 0.9 0.94 0.44 0.5802 SA4 0.24 0.56 2.6 6.84 4.1454 SA5 1.26 0.99 0.56 -0.11 0.2857 SA6 0.76 0.83 1.12 1.23 0.7984 SA7 0.79 0.9 1.04 0.63 0.6420 SA8 0.63 0.84 1.33 1.45 0.9425 SA9 0.89 0.92 0.96 0.59 0.5671 SA10 1.13 0.88 0.71 0.39 0.4584 SA11 0.87 0.88 0.87 0.41 0.5617 SA12 1.08 0.96 0.73 0.08 0.3961 SA13 0.56 0.76 1.38 1.86 1.1946 SA14 0.84 0.82 0.85 0.54 0.6321 SA15 0.79 0.79 0.77 0.32 0.6169 SA16 1.25 1 0.53 -0.29 0.2650 SA17 0.49 0.73 1.52 2.13 1.4262 SA18 0.98 0.92 0.76 0.15 0.4490 SA19 0.64 0.78 1.17 1.19 0.9615 SA20 1.02 0.9 0.72 0.14 0.4444 SA21 1 0.85 0.68 0.21 0.4706 SA22 0.78 0.96 1.21 0.91 0.6565 SA23 0.78 0.84 0.95 0.63 0.6732 SA24 0.92 0.88 0.76 0.23 0.4907 SA25 0.7 0.81 1.08 0.85 0.8230 SA26 0.76 0.82 0.98 0.68 0.7287 SA27 0.97 0.92 0.79 0.2 0.4667 SA28 1.08 0.89 0.67 0.19 0.4229 SA29 0.85 0.83 0.76 0.17 0.5516 SA30 1.09 0.9 0.61 -0.08 0.3765 SA31 0.68 0.83 1.12 0.72 0.7984 SA32 0.79 0.87 0.92 0.18 0.6077 SA33 0.43 0.69 1.72 3.06 1.8063 SA34 0.35 0.69 2.23 5.05 2.3419 SA35 0.45 0.76 1.74 2.63 1.5062 SA36 0.59 0.77 1.34 1.68 1.0963 SA37 0.56 0.82 1.55 2.31 1.1526 SA38 0.36 0.68 2.09 4.53 2.2599 SA39 0.69 0.78 1.01 0.86 0.8300 SA40 0.89 0.86 0.89 0.65 0.6017 SA41 0.87 0.87 0.96 0.81 0.6342 SA42 0.5 0.8 1.66 2.35 1.2969 SA43 0.4 0.68 1.75 3.03 1.8923 SA44 0.73 0.87 1.18 1.06 0.7795 SA45 0.59 0.86 1.52 1.99 1.0276 Note: M, Mean; SD, Standard deviation; g1, Fisher's skewness; g2, Fisher's kurtosis; SSI, Standardized skewness index. Evidence of validity was identified in relation to other variables (Figure 1). The nine factors of the SA-45 were related to the DASS-21 as its dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress, finding significant correlations with an effect size between medium (r = 0.30) and large (r = 0.50), confirming the existence of convergent validity. Regarding discriminant validity, the SA-45 was related to the Life Orientation Scale and its two dimensions (optimism and pessimism), finding negative and positive correlations, respectively, with effect sizes between small (r = 0.10) and medium (r = 0.30) that support discriminant validity. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 421 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Table 2. Matrix of factor loadings with Procrustes rotation of the SA-45, ICF, internal consistency and correlations between the latent constructs of the SA-45. Item F 1 F 2 F 3 F 4 F 5 F 6 F 7 F 8 F 9 FCF bootstrap- CI 90% V1 0.354 0.243 0.067 0.256 0.067 0.377 0.09 0.101 0.097 0.814 (0.747 - 0.906) V2 0.49 0.217 0.12 0.217 0.183 0.41 0.215 0.018 0.04 0.85 (0.800 - 0.925) V3 0.193 0.763 0.132 0.12 0.016 0.25 0.238 0.152 0.205 0.97 (0.960 - 0.985) V4 0.311 0.295 0.266 0.311 0.123 0.715 0.122 0.042 0.062 0.926 (0.910 - 0.953) V5 0.453 0.16 0.054 0.119 -0.004 0.12 0.104 0.226 0.213 0.92 (0.881 - 0.977) V6 0.271 0.417 0.278 0.183 0.15 0.385 0.181 0.322 0.237 0.8 (0.782 - 0.840) V7 0.226 0.209 0.165 0.648 -0.098 0.223 0.353 0.221 0.231 0.898 (0.867 - 0.923) V8 0.072 0.704 0.224 0.063 0.131 0.303 0.049 0.286 0.172 0.944 (0.926 - 0.968) V9 0.356 0.231 0.095 0.079 0.266 0.163 0.164 0.711 -0.006 0.932 (0.914 - 0.975) V10 0.332 0.218 0.168 0.192 0.183 0.041 0.325 0.663 0.093 0.925 (0.905 - 0.961) V11 0.252 0.202 0.148 0.247 0.186 0.234 0.353 0.296 0.281 0.692 (0.615 - 0.804) V12 0.26 0.341 0.282 0.252 0.143 0.196 0.525 0.229 0.278 0.87 (0.827 - 0.908) V13 0.512 0.165 0.208 0.163 0.161 0.579 0.129 0.11 0.164 0.871 (0.826 - 0.903) V14 0.618 0.162 0.143 0.192 0.224 0.331 0.376 0.242 0.164 0.905 (0.896 - 0.928) V15 0.728 0.028 0.146 0.046 0.301 0.434 0.177 0.101 0.232 0.912 (0.885 - 0.950) V16 0.365 0.188 0.14 0.113 0.03 0.184 0.185 0.096 0.559 0.912 (0.852 - 0.965) V17 0.35 0.244 0.067 0.04 0.663 0.292 0.238 0.211 0.151 0.918 (0.881 - 0.942) V18 0.033 0.123 0.696 0.137 -0.01 0.132 0.29 0.214 0.055 0.948 (0.939 - 0.973) V19 0.473 0.128 0.319 0.076 0.291 0.389 -0.049 0.223 0.279 0.802 (0.738 - 0.860) V20 0.313 0.197 0.202 0.177 0.105 0.076 0.196 0.193 0.621 0.943 (0.929 - 0.971) V21 0.363 0.208 0.15 0.068 0.399 0.036 0.31 0.271 0.47 0.804 (0.761 - 0.860) V22 0.105 0.726 0.119 0.14 0.169 -0.066 0.193 0.021 0.103 0.959 (0.949 - 0.984) V23 0.173 0.284 0.513 0.186 0.041 0.258 0.123 0.162 0.215 0.907 (0.886 - 0.951) V24 0.154 0.725 0.238 0.067 0.164 0.026 0.143 0.127 0.189 0.976 (0.969 - 0.988) V25 0.218 0.303 0.365 0.153 0.278 0.28 0.187 0.165 0.298 0.791 (0.748 - 0.842) V26 0.148 0.183 0.609 0.201 0.057 0.241 0.285 0.08 0.201 0.94 (0.900 - 0.974) V27 0.275 0.221 0.224 0.144 0.344 -0.005 0.305 0.287 0.3 0.688 (0.611 - 0.767) V28 0.269 0.193 0.343 0.031 0.39 0.085 0.372 0.247 0.349 0.629 (0.555 - 0.729) V29 0.19 0.14 0.762 0.125 0.113 0.194 0.308 0.176 0.098 0.974 (0.963 - 0.990) V30 0.266 0.166 0.548 0.143 0.167 0.037 0.49 0.248 0.19 0.8 (0.762 - 0.854) V31 0.11 0.139 0.724 0.189 0.181 0.131 0.22 0.168 0.025 0.98 (0.969 - 0.993) V32 0.408 0.227 0.252 0.051 0.398 0.147 -0.025 0.241 0.229 0.778 (0.756 - 0.826) V33 0.322 0.24 0.338 0.303 0.289 0.463 -0.065 0.198 0.126 0.802 (0.756 - 0.847) V34 0.137 0.244 0.231 0.586 0.301 0.368 0.039 0.106 0.014 0.884 (0.834 - 0.940) V35 0.049 0.262 0.226 0.73 0.186 0.29 0.12 0.182 0.13 0.959 (0.936 - 0.985) Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 422 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Item F 1 F 2 F 3 F 4 F 5 F 6 F 7 F 8 F 9 FCF bootstrap- CI 90% V36 0.352 0.246 0.047 0.18 0.522 0.138 0.054 0.291 0.142 0.878 (0.845 - 0.926) V37 0.041 0.704 0.112 0.214 0.328 0.036 0.243 0.077 0.123 0.943 (0.926 - 0.984) V38 0.085 0.534 0.227 0.424 0.291 0.325 0.187 0.18 0.136 0.853 (0.840 - 0.894) V39 0.434 0.061 0.116 0.629 0.037 0.031 0.429 0.124 0.168 0.856 (0.793 - 0.890) V40 0.587 0.002 0.055 0.311 0.251 0.043 0.299 0.184 0.15 0.897 (0.854 - 0.943) V41 0.304 0.196 0.216 0.457 0.132 -0.011 0.522 0.213 0.278 0.829 (0.789 - 0.882) V42 0.317 0.166 0.08 0.188 0.638 0.133 0.188 0.32 0.146 0.932 (0.905 - 0.960) V43 0.172 0.193 0.165 0.747 0.154 0.193 0.15 0.204 0.113 0.988 (0.986 - 0.995) V44 0.464 0.078 0.102 0.198 0.321 0.034 -0.132 0.372 0.215 0.788 (0.656 - 0.838) V45 0.317 0.132 0.109 0.379 0.207 0.128 -0.144 0.309 0.277 0.678 (0.659 - 0.734) ICF 0.825 0.944 0.908 0.925 0.860 0.828 0.804 0.843 0.892 T-FCC 0.872 (0.87 -0.872) α 0.79 0.84 0.84 0.91 0.80 0.67 0.79 0.66 0.71 αord 0.87 0.85 0.89 0.84 0.89 0.83 0.85 0.74 0.77 Ω 0.85 0.89 0.87 0.87 0.83 0.70 0.79 0.71 0.72 F1 1.00 F2 0.37 1.00 F3 0.35 0.19 1.00 F4 0.16 -0.10 0.30 1.00 F5 -0.04 -0.09 0.20 0.49 1.00 F6 -0.33 -0.35 -0.37 -0.01 0.07 1.00 F7 -0.36 0.00 -0.20 -0.31 0.06 0.11 1.00 F8 -0.20 -0.10 -0.12 -0.15 -0.11 0.27 0.39 1.00 F9 -0.02 -0.29 -0.03 -0.02 0.05 0.15 -0.18 -0.04 1.00 Notes: F1, paranoid ideation; F2, phobic anxiety; F3, somatization; F4, hostility; F5, interpersonal sensitivity; F6, psychoticism; F7, anxiety; F8, depression ; F9 , obsessive-compulsion; FCF, factor congruence coefficient; T-FCC, total factor congruence coefficient; α, alpha coefficient; αord, ordinal alpha; Ω, om ega coefficient; Ω, omega coefficient. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 423 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. Figure 1. Heat map of SA-45 and the LOT-R and DASS-21. Note: DAS, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale DASS-21 total score; D, depression; A, anxiety; S, stress; LOT, Life Orientation Scale LOT-R total score; O, optimism; P, pessimism; SA1, paranoid ideation; SA2, phobic anxiety; SA3, somatization; SA4, hostility; SA5, interp ersonal sensitivity; SA6, psychoticism; SA7, anxiety; SA8, depression; SA9 obsession-compulsion; With a cross (X), nonsignificant correlations. The SA-45 is an instrument with important psychometric properties in relation to its factorial structure and internal consistency, even though it is an extensive multidimensional instrument. In this regard, its main features are analyzed in relation to previous versions. We considered using an ESEM strategy with an objective matrix (OM) to which a Procrustes rotation was added, which allowed us to guide the data according to the theory , even more so when we have already mentioned that some items have factorial complexity, that is, just as they can score in one factor, they can also be part of another. In the EFA of Holgado et al. (2019) and Sandín et al. (2008), this overlap was already noted, as several items with factorial complexity were found. Furthermore, this explains why the versions by Holgado et al. (2019) and Sandín et al. (2008) are different since, in the EFA conducted by the former, it had already been observed that the items considered by Maruish et al. (1998) and later by Sandín et al. (2008) were not part of the same factor structure that they found. It is noteworthy that Holgado et al. (2019) argued that their instrument was validated with a sample of university students. On the contrary, the sample of Maruish et al. (1998) was of clinical type, so Holgado et al. (2019) considered their proposal more relevant for the case of a non-clinical sample. Regarding the study by Sandín et al. (2008), which supports the findings of Maruish et al. (1998), it is emphasized that this study Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 424 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. was conducted on a university sample, but the EFA was estimated with principal components and Kaiser's rule, methods that are currently not recommended for use (Ferrando & Anguiano-Carrasco, 2010) because they fail to report the factor loadings of the CFA performed, limiting themselves only to showing those of the EFA, which prevents comparison with this study. In this case, the factorial structure proposed by Holgado et al. (2019) has been maintained, and FCCs higher than 0.80 (FCC >.80) have been found in almost all items and in the nine dimensions that make up the instrument , as well as FCC higher than .85 of the total scale (FCC> .85), which supports the factorial structure of the Peruvian version. Only the paranoid ideation dimension lost 2 items: item 11 (not feeling interested in things) and item 27 (feeling hopeless about the future), which in the Sandín et al. (2008) version is included in the depression subscale. In this respect, it makes sense since the pattern of paranoid distrust present in the items in this dimension cannot be identified. Contrary to the other studies (Alvarado et al., 2012; Maruish et al., 1998; Sandín et al., 2008), those items load within the anxiety subscale with acceptable factor loadings (λ >.30). Although analyzed in detail, they would not be assessing any anxiety component either, but would be more related to them for their psychopathological component. Likewise, item 28 (concentration difficulties) was not included within the depression dimension, but interestingly, it has favorable factor saturation (λ >.30) in somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, and obsession-compulsion, again reflecting the item's factorial complexity. This aspect has also already been seen in the study by Holgado et al. (2019), in which this item loads on other dimensions that do not correspond to it. Apparently, it would be convenient to keep this item in the obsession-compulsion scale as well as the remaining versions (Alvarado et al., 2012; Maruish et al., 1998; Sandín et al., 2008) since it would be reflecting some undesired mental component of an anxiogenic nature. In addition, the internal consistency of this scale (α =.66; αord =.74; Ω = 71) obtained acceptable but low values compared to the versions of Sandín et al. (2008) and Alvarado et al. (2012), both with an α =.85, and slightly lower than that of Holgado et al. (2019) with an α =.75. If we consider the fact that item 28 of this scale had to be withdrawn, we could point out that it is perhaps the weakest scale compared to the depression version of Sandín et al. (2008) and Alvarado et al. (2012), in which the items and internal consistency remain more stable. Furthermore, the Psychoticism scale obtained an acceptable alpha coefficient, a high ordinal alpha , and an acceptable omega (α =.67; αord =.83; Ω =70), an aspect that remains deficient in the version of Holgado et al. (2019) (α = .57), Sandín et al. (2008) (α =.63) and Alvarado et al. (2012) (α =.57). In addition, the alpha coefficient is not adequate for scales with ordinal responses, so the ordinal alpha and omega coefficient would be more appropriate for evaluating the internal consistency of this subscale and the others. It is also mentioned that the obsession-compulsion dimension kept its factorial structure, and despite having only three items, it obtained acceptable internal consistency values (α =.71; αord =.77; Ω =72) very similar to the version of Sandín et al. (2008) and Holgado et al. (2019) although slightly lower than the coefficient obtained by Alvarado et al. (2012) (α =.81). In relation to the evidence of validity with other variables, the instrument achieved significant associations with the DASS-21, a psychopathological measure of anxiety, stress, and depression that shows high and medium effect sizes, which encourages the use of the SA-45 as a psychopathological measure. The SA-45 also associates negatively with optimism, and positively with pessimism, which is expected for a scale of its type, such as the SA-45. 4. CONCLUSION SA-45 Peruvian version is an instrument with psychometric properties that reflects a defined factorial structure with nine dimensions and a favorable internal consistency in its dimensions. Likewise, evidence of convergent and discriminant validity was obtained with the DASS-21 and LOT-R measures, demonstrating their relevance for use in the Peruvian population. Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, 2023, 11(4): 416-426 425 © 2023 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. One of the limitations is related to the virtual survey, which does not allow the evaluation of the population that does not use social networks. Due to the non-clinical sample type, another limitation would be related to the use of the instrument in the clinical population for clinical diagnoses. Funding: This study received no specific financial support. Institutional Review Board Statement: The Ethical Committee of the College of Psychologists of Peru has granted approval for this study (Ref. 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