The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of modified DASS-21 index: a case study of UiTM students

The presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected people all over the world, has led to the implementation of movement restriction guidelines in every country, including Malaysia. Many industries have been impacted, including the educational sector, which has transitioned from a physical class to an online distance learning (ODL) environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale (DASS-21) and modify the existing instrument by utilising an instrumental design and exploratory factor analysis with structural equations to assess students' psychological well-being during ODL mode using reliable mental health predictors. The DASS-21 and a combined new subscale instrument were evaluated for validity and reliability using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis. Based on ODL being a new conceptual model, 30 items from four subscales of depression, anxiety, stress, and challenges during ODL were designated for the initial instrument. A study conducted by EFA found that the instrument used to examine students' psychological well-being in ODL contained five
factor-structures that explained 63 percent of the variance in the pattern of relationships between the items. The reliability of all factors was high (Cronbach's > 0.735). After removing five items that cross-loaded on multiple factors, the final questionnaire had twenty-five items (depression and stress: eight items; anxiety: eight items; challenges during ODL: six items; and enviromnent during ODL: three items). This research has proven to work for the four-factor structure instrument, which can be used to test students' psychological well-being during ODL.