Title
Factor analysis and validation of a self-report measure of impaired fear inhibition
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Cognition and Emotion
Publication Date
4-9-2018
Volume
Advance publication
Publisher
Routledge
Keywords
Adolescence, Anxiety, Cognitive Behavioural Treatment, Extinction, Fear, Safety
Abstract
Difficulties with inhibiting fear have been associated with the emergence of anxiety problems and poor response to cognitive–behavioural treatment. Fear inhibition problems measured using experimental paradigms involving aversive stimuli may be inappropriate for vulnerable samples and may not capture fear inhibition problems evident in everyday life. We present the Fear Inhibition Questionnaire (FIQ), a self-report measure of fear inhibition abilities. We assess the FIQ’s factor structure across two cultures and how well it correlates with fear inhibition indices derived experimentally. Adolescent participants from Hong Kong and England completed the FIQ, with the English participants also completing a conditioning and extinction task to assess fear inhibition problems. Across both cultures, the FIQ showed a single factor structure and low FIQ scores, or worse fear inhibition problems, were associated with self-reports of heightened anxiety. Correlation of FIQ scores with experimental indices, whilst controlling for anxious symptoms, suggests that the FIQ represents a valid and unique measure of fear inhibition abilities. The FIQ might be used to assess more ecologically valid fear inhibition problems particularly amongst people who have or who are at risk of anxiety diagnoses.
DOI
10.1080/02699931.2018.1461064
Print ISSN
02699931
E-ISSN
14640600
Funding Information
Study 1 was supported by General Research Fund, Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee, HKSAR (project no: 17406114). TJB and JYFL were funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London and a King’s College London Parenting Leave fund.{17406114}
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Barry, T. J., Baker, H. M., Chiu, C. H. M., Lo, B. C. Y., & Lau, J. Y. F. (2018). Factor analysis and validation of a self-report measure of impaired fear inhibition. Cognition and Emotion, Advance publication. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2018.1461064
