TY  - JOUR
N2  - Objective
The aim is to validate a test in Latin America that measures fear perception and concern about a world war.

Methodology
It is an instrumental study using Google Forms. It obtained 1684 participants in eight countries in Latin America. The creation of the first instrument was based on previous questionnaires that measured fear in the face of unexpected events, and other specific questions were added in the context of the war. Subsequently, the entire validation process was carried out. It was calculated the values of skewness, kurtosis, and communalities.

Results
Exploratory factor analysis showed that two factors were generated, confirmed by the Kaiser?Meyer?Olkin test (KMO?=?0,962) and Barlett?s test (19558.5; df?=?78; p?=?0.000). Confirmatory factor analysis yielded seven items in two factors (?2?=?139,85, df?=?13, p?=?0.001; RMR?=?0.050; GFI?=?0.980; CFI?=?0,990; TLI?=?0.980; and RMSEA?=?0.080). The global Cronbach?s alpha?=?0.92 (for factor 1?=?0.98, and factor 2?=?0.88).

Discussion
The final instrument with seven questions allows to measure adequately general fear (factor 1), and physical and mental repercussions due to the possibility of the outbreak of a world war (factor 2).
JF  - BMC Psychology
SN  - 2050-7283
KW  - War; Repercussions; Physical health; Mental health; Latin America; World war
VL  - 13
Y1  - 2025///
AV  - public
A1  - Mejia, Christian R.
A1  - Esteban, Renzo Felipe Carranza
A1  - Mamani-Benito, Oscar
A1  - Aveiro-Róbalo, Telmo Raúl
A1  - Zamora-Huaringa, Elvira G.
A1  - Vega-Useche, Leonel
A1  - Padilla-F, Valeria J.
A1  - Almada-Lesmo, Deisy P.
A1  - Castrillón-Lozano, Jorge Andrés
A1  - Martínez-Bourdier, Alan A.
A1  - Armada, Jose
A1  - Alvarez-Risco, Aldo
A1  - Del-Aguila-Arcentales, Shyla
A1  - Davies, Neal M.
A1  - Yáñez, Jaime A.
ID  - uninimx17791
UR  - http://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02622-2
TI  - Fear and concern about the outbreak of a world war: validation of an instrument in eight Latin American countries (Third World War scale)
IS  - 1
ER  -