Multicomponent AIDS Phobia Scale validation with Spanish adolescents

Aids phobia is characterized by a persistent, intense and irrational fear of HIV. This fear is related to the infection stigma and the discrimination against HIV-positive people. The aim of this study was the adaptation and validation of the Multicomponent AIDS Phobia Scale (MAPS) with Spanish adolescents and to examine the structure of this fear among population from Spain and US. A sample of 832 secondary students from 14 to 18 years of age was recruited. The data provide evidence for two-factor structure of the scale, showing a composite reliability of .77. Convergent validity with the scores on HIV/aids knowledge and attitudes was adequate. Low correlations between the MAPS and the scores on health anxiety and social anxiety support the divergent validity. The MAPS has adequate psychometric properties and can be applied to Spanish adolescents for clinical and research purposes.