Psychometric Evaluation of the Youth Anxiety Measure for DSM-5 (YAM-5) in a Community Sample of Spanish School-Aged Children

Abstract

The Youth Anxiety Measure for DSM-5 (YAM-5) was developed to assess symptoms of major anxiety disorders (Part I) and specific fears and phobias (Part II) in children and adolescents in accordance with current diagnostic criteria. Despite growing interest in the YAM-5, research has primarily focused on Part I, leaving Part II comparatively understudied, while evidence on the psychometric properties of both components in children from age eight onward remains limited. The present study examined the factorial structure and psychometric properties of both parts of the YAM-5 in a community sample of Spanish-speaking children aged 8 to 12 years. Participants were 515 children (M = 9.82, SD = 1.20) enrolled in primary education in Spain. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the original five-factor structure of both parts of the instrument. The YAM-5 total scale and the total scores of Parts I and II demonstrated good-to-excellent internal consistency, while most subscales showed acceptable-to-good reliability, with stronger internal consistency observed for Part I. Evidence of convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity was also found. These results provide further support for the YAM-5 as a suitable tool for assessing anxiety-related symptoms and facilitating their early identification among school-aged children in community settings.