Reliability and validity of the Fear Survey Schedule for Infants-Preschoolers

Depress Anxiety. 2008;25(12):E205-7. doi: 10.1002/da.20344.

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the reliability and validity of a new questionnaire to measure fears in young children. One hundred and thirty-three parents of children 18 months to 5 years of age completed the Fear Survey Schedule for Infants-Preschoolers (FSSIP). Parents and other caregivers were interviewed and completed questionnaires concerning child fearfulness, and child fearful behavior was observed. The FSSIP demonstrated high internal consistency, low-to-moderate test-retest correlations over an average of 6 months, and good convergent and discriminant validity. With further research, the FSSIP could aid in the investigation of the duration and consequences of fears in young children.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Arousal
  • Child, Preschool
  • Fear*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Motor Activity
  • Object Attachment
  • Personality Assessment / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Psychometrics / statistics & numerical data
  • Reproducibility of Results