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The structure of feared situations in a nationally representative sample
Brian J Cox1, Lachlan A McWilliams, Ian P Clara
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba PZ-430-771, Bannatynne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3N4, Canada. coxbj@cc.umanitoba.ca
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
|December 5, 2002
Summary
This study reveals a hierarchical structure of common fears in the general population, identifying five specific fear types that group into social and specific fears, all under a single general fear factor.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Limited research exists on the covariation and hierarchical structure of fears in representative samples.
- Understanding fear structures is crucial for accurate phobia classification and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the multidimensional and hierarchical organization of fears in a large, nationally representative U.S. sample.
- To delineate the structure of 19 distinct feared situations.
- To examine the findings within existing theoretical frameworks of fear.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey (N=8098).
- Employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on split-half samples.
- Assessed 19 feared situations via structured interview.
Main Results:
- A five-factor first-order model of fears was supported: agoraphobia, speaking fears, fears of being observed, fears of heights/water, and threat fears.
- These factors loaded onto two second-order factors: social fears and specific fears.
- A third-order model with a single, general fear factor demonstrated a good fit to the data.
Conclusions:
- The findings support a hierarchical framework for understanding fear structures in the general population.
- Results have implications for the classification and understanding of phobias, particularly in relation to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
- This research provides a robust, population-based model of fear organization.