title: Assessing dog fear: evaluating the psychometric properties of the Dog Phobia Questionnaire.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Dog Phobia Questionnaire (DPQ; Hong & Zinbarg, 1999) is a 27-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess symptoms of dog phobia. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the DPQ.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study 1 explored the factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity of the DPQ using an undergraduate sample (N = 174). Study 2 assessed the extent to which DPQ scores correlated with subjective fear ratings and avoidance during a behavioral approach test (BAT) with a live dog using undergraduate and community participants (N = 91), and the extent to which DPQ scores differed for individuals with (n = 15) versus without (n = 66) a clinically significant specific phobia of dogs. Study 3 evaluated the test-retest reliability of the DPQ using an undergraduate sample (N = 31).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A principal components exploratory factor analysis suggested a one-factor solution. Internal consistency was high. DPQ scores were more highly correlated with measures assessing dog fear than measures assessing other types of fears. Test-retest reliability was high. DPQ scores correlated with fear responding and avoidance during the BAT. Participants with a specific phobia of dogs reported higher DPQ scores than those without a specific phobia of dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study included undergraduate students and community participants; future research with a clinical sample is recommended.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DPQ may be a useful tool for measuring the severity of fear in dog phobic individuals. Implications for the theoretical assumptions underlying the development of the DPQ are discussed.
authors: Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors: Valerie
authors: V
authors: Vorstenbosch
authors: Martin M
authors: MM
authors: Antony
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Koerner
authors: Michele K
authors: MK
authors: Boivin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult