Table 2.

Construct validity of the acute stress scale used among professionals caring for patients with COVID-19.

Scale item		Scale score (N=228), mean (SD), 95% CIa	Loading
Factor 1: affective responses
	I keep my distance, I resent dealing with people, and I am irascible even at home.	1.1 (0.9), 1.0-1.2	0.83
	I have completely lost the taste for things that used to bring me peace of mind or well-being.	1.1 (0.9), 1.0-1.2	0.72
	I feel that I am neglecting many people who need my help.	0.9 (0.9), 0.8-1.0	0.71
	I cannot help but think of recent critical situations. I can’t get out of work.	1.3 (0.1), 1.2-1.4	0.60
	I have difficulty thinking and making decisions, I have many doubts, and I have entered a kind of emotional blockage.	0.9 (0.9), 0.8-1.0	0.58
	All factor 1 items	6.0 (3.9), 5.5-6.5	N/Ab
Factor 2: fear and anxiety responses
	I have difficulty empathizing with patients’ suffering or connecting with their situation (emotional distancing and emotional anesthesia).	0.7 (0.9), 0.6-0.8	0.48
	Worrying about not getting sick causes me a strain that is hard to bear.	0.8 (0.9), 0.7-0.9	0.86
	I’m afraid I’m going to infect my family.	1.3 (1.0), 1.2-1.4	0.70
	I feel on permanent alert. I believe that my reactions now put other patients, my colleagues, or myself at risk.	0.9 (0.9), 0.8-1.0	0.66
	I feel intense physiological reactions (shock, sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, insomnia, etc) related to the current crisis.	1.0 (0.9), 0.9-1.1	0.55
	All factor 2 items	4.0 (2.8), 3.6-4.4	N/A
Total (score ranges from 3 to 30)		10.0 (6.1), 9.2-10.8	N/A

^aIndividual scores range from 0 to 3.

^bN/A: not applicable; this value was calculated for individual items only.