The Driving Behavior Survey: scale construction and validation.
Although long recognized in the clinical literature, problematic behavior characteristic of anxious drivers has received little empirical attention. The current research details development of a measure of anxious driving behavior conducted across three studies. Factor analytic techniques identified three dimensions of maladaptive behaviors across three college samples: anxiety-based performance deficits, exaggerated safety/caution behavior, and anxiety-related hostile/aggressive behavior. Performance deficits evidenced convergent associations with perceived driving skill and were broadly related to driving fear. Safety/caution behaviors demonstrated convergence with overt travel avoidance, although this relationship was inconsistent across studies. Safety/caution scores were associated specifically with accident- and social-related driving fears. Hostile/aggressive behaviors evidenced convergent relationships with driving anger and were associated specifically with accident-related fear. Internal consistencies were adequate, although some test-retest reliabilities were marginal in the unselected college sample. These data provide preliminary evidence for utility of the measure for both research and clinical practice.
Clapp
Joshua D
JD
University at Buffalo - SUNY, Department of Psychology, Park Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States. joshclapp@yahoo.com
Olsen
Shira A
SA
Beck
J Gayle
JG
Palyo
Sarah A
SA
Grant
DeMond M
DM
Gudmundsdottir
Berglind
B
Marques
Luana
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult