More information from fewer questions: the factor structure and item properties of the original and brief fear of negative evaluation scale.
Statistical methods designed for categorical data were used to perform confirmatory factor analyses and item response theory (IRT) analyses of the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale (FNE; D. Watson & R. Friend, 1969) and the Brief FNE (BFNE; M. R. Leary, 1983). Results suggested that a 2-factor model fit the data better for both the FNE and the BFNE, although the evidence was less strong for the FNE. The IRT analyses indicated that although both measures had items with good discrimination, the FNE items discriminated only at lower levels of the underlying construct, whereas the BFNE items discriminated across a wider range. Convergent validity analyses indicated that the straightforwardly-worded items on each scale had significantly stronger relationships with theoretically related measures than did the reverse-worded items. On the basis of all analyses, usage of the straightforwardly-worded BFNE factor is recommended for the assessment of fear of negative evaluation.
Rodebaugh
Thomas L
TL
Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. tlr3@temple.edu
Woods
Carol M
CM
Thissen
David M
DM
Heimberg
Richard G
RG
Chambless
Dianne L
DL
Rapee
Ronald M
RM
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008390:Markov Chains; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires