Development of a new fear of hypoglycemia scale: preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To provide preliminary psychometric data on the Children's Hypoglycemia Index (CHI), a new scale was designed to measure fear of hypoglycemia (FH) in children.


METHODS
One hundred and nine children with type 1 diabetes attending a diabetes summer camp completed the CHI, and 57 of these children completed the CHI 2 weeks later. All participants also completed the Children's Hypoglycemia Fear Survey (CHFS), the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), and a Hypoglycemia History Form. Parents of the children also completed a Hypoglycemia History Form.


RESULTS
The CHI demonstrated good factor structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and criterion-related validity with established measures. Frequency of severe hypoglycemic episodes since diabetes diagnosis also predicted scores on the Situation- and General-Fear subscales of the CHI.


CONCLUSIONS
The CHI demonstrated reliability and validity as a measurement of children's FH. The use of this measure offers important clinical and research implications.
Kamps
Jodi L
JL
Children's Hospital of New Orleans, Department of Psychology, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, USA. jkamps21@yahoo.com
Roberts
Michael C
MC
Varela
R Enrique
RE
D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index