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Reliability and validity of the Fear Survey Schedule for Infants-Preschoolers

Susan L Warren1, Thomas H Ollendick, Samuel J Simmens

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA. psyslw@gwumc.edu

Depression and Anxiety
|June 28, 2007
PubMed

Insights

The new Fear Survey Schedule for Infants-Preschoolers (FSSIP) is a reliable tool for measuring childhood fears. This questionnaire shows validity in assessing fearfulness in young children aged 18 months to 5 years.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Psychometric Evaluation

Background:

  • Childhood fears are common and can impact development.
  • Accurate measurement tools are needed to study these fears.
  • Existing measures may not be suitable for very young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the reliability and validity of the Fear Survey Schedule for Infants-Preschoolers (FSSIP).
  • To determine if the FSSIP is a suitable tool for measuring fear in children aged 18 months to 5 years.

Main Methods:

  • 133 parents of children (18 months-5 years) completed the FSSIP.
  • Parents and caregivers were interviewed about child fearfulness.
  • Child fearful behavior was observed.
  • Statistical analyses examined internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity.

Main Results:

  • The FSSIP demonstrated high internal consistency.
  • Test-retest correlations were low-to-moderate over 6 months.
  • The FSSIP showed good convergent and discriminant validity.
  • The questionnaire is a valid measure of fear in young children.

Conclusions:

  • The FSSIP is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing fears in young children.
  • Further research may utilize the FSSIP to investigate fear duration and consequences.
  • The FSSIP can aid in understanding childhood fear development and intervention.

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