Adaptation of the Russian-language version of the Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI-T) to a sample of university students

 
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Abstract

The results of the analysis of the psychometric properties of the Russian-language version of the STAI-T on a large sample of university students are presented. Personal anxiety reflects a person’s predisposition to excessive manifestation of anxiety in relation to a wide range of events, which leads to difficulties of an adaptation nature, especially at the stage of transition to the higher education system. The Russian-language version was adapted in 1976, which actualizes the need for adaptation with the participation of modern young people. The study involved 4,199 students (M = 18.53, SD = 0.86, 57 % females) of Russian universities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the presence of a two-factor structure of the questionnaire: the first subscale consisted of statements measuring “explicit” anxiety (12 statements), the second — statements with “indirect” anxiety (7 statements). It is shown that the final model has high quality indices, as well as configural, metric and scalar gender invariance. The general scale of personal anxiety, as well as the subscales, demonstrate high internal consistency and high external validity. It was revealed that students, on average, demonstrate moderate personal anxiety with a higher average anxiety value in girls. It is concluded that the Russian version of STAI-T has high psychometric properties. Based on population data, threshold values of the integrated personality anxiety indicator were derived. The high psychometric properties and the designated threshold values of manifestation levels ensure scientifically substantiated use of the STAI-T in organizing psychological assistance to modern young people at a university.

General Information

Keywords: trait anxiety scale, STAI-T, psychometric properties, anxiety, university students

Journal rubric: Empirical and Experimental Research

Article type: scientific article

Received 19.04.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Tikhomirova, T.N., Pavlova, A.A., Ismatullina, V.I., Malykh, A.S., Kolyasnikov, P.V., Malykh, S.B. (2025). Adaptation of the Russian-language version of the Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI-T) to a sample of university students . Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Psychology, 15(4), 610–632. (In Russ.). URL: https://psyjournals.ru/en/journals/vspu_psychology/archive/2025_n4/Tikhomirova_Pavlova_et_al (viewed: 03.03.2026)

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Information About the Authors

Tatiana N. Tikhomirova, Doctor of Psychology, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Scientific Supervisor of the Federal Resource Center for Psychological Service for the Higher Education, Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6748-763X, e-mail: tikho@mail.ru

Anna A. Pavlova, Junior Researcher, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in the Educational Sciences, Russian Academy of Education, Junior Research Fellow at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Research on Intelligence and Cognitive Well-Being; Postgraduate Student at the Institute of Education, Center for Psychometrics and Measurement in Education; Lecturer at the Institute of Education, Department of Educational Programs, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1566-243X, e-mail: annapavlova98hse@gmail.com

Victoria I. Ismatullina, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Senior Analyst of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Educational Sciences, Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5096-4313, e-mail: victoria2686@gmail.com

Artem S. Malykh, laboratory assistant, Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4109-9935, e-mail: malykhartem86@gmail.com

Pavel V. Kolyasnikov, Chief Analyst of the Digital Psychodiagnostics Laboratory at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Educational Sciences, Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3633-5913, e-mail: pavelkolyasnikov@gmail.com

Sergey B. Malykh, Doctor of Psychology, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Academician-Secretary of the Department of Psychology and Developmental Physiology, Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3786-7447, e-mail: malykhsb@mail.ru

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