Empirical validation and psychometric evaluation of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale in patients with social anxiety disorder.
The Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE; M. R. Leary, 1983a) is often used to assess fear of negative evaluation, the core feature of social anxiety disorder. However, few studies have examined its psychometric properties in large samples of socially anxious patients. Although the BFNE yields a single total score, confirmatory factor analysis indicated a 2-factor solution to be more appropriate, with the 1st factor consisting of all straightforwardly worded items (BFNE-S) and the 2nd of all reverse-scored items (BFNE-R). Support was obtained for the convergent and discriminant validity of the BFNE and BFNE-S, but not the BFNE-R. These results suggest that standard scoring of the BFNE may not be optimal for patients with social anxiety disorder.
Weeks
Justin W
JW
Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple, Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
Heimberg
Richard G
RG
Fresco
David M
DM
Hart
Trevor A
TA
Turk
Cynthia L
CL
Schneier
Franklin R
FR
Liebowitz
Michael R
MR
D000328:Adult; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D036262:Empirical Research; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results