Self‐Reported Altruism Is Positively Correlated With Anxiety, Depression, and Empathy Among Gazan Healthcare Workers During War: Validation of the Arabic 9‐SRA in a High‐Stress Context

Abstract

Background and Aims: This study had the main purpose of investigating the psychometric properties of the 9-item Self-Report Altruism scale (9-SRA) in its translated Arabic-language version among Palestinian HCWs in Gaza during war times. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed between January 15 and April 15, 2025, among 615 HCWs at several hospitals and primary health care centers in the Gaza Strip. Results: = 0.92). The assumption of measurement invariance across sex groups of the Arabic version of the 9-SRA was supported. Empathy scores were significantly and positively correlated with altruism scores. Finally, higher depression and anxiety were significantly associated with lower altruism. Conclusion: Our research offers robust evidence in terms of reliability and validity to support the use of the 9-SRA instrument to evaluate self-reported altruistic behavior among Arabic-speaking HCWs, especially in the context of war.