Psychometric investigation of the specific phobia of vomiting inventory: A new factor model

Well-validated, standardized measures are lacking for the assessment of emetophobia, the specific phobia of vomiting. The Specific Phobia of Vomiting Inventory (SPOVI) was recently developed and shows promise as a useful measure of emetophobia. The goal of the present study was to further examine and investigate the psychometric properties of the SPOVI in a large student sample (n = 1626), specifically focusing on its factor structure, measurement invariance across gender, and convergent/divergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis results provide support for a one-factor model of the SPOVI, in contrast to the previously proposed two-factor model. Internal consistency of the SPOVI was good (α = 0.89) and measurement invariance across gender invariance was supported. The SPOVI also demonstrated good psychometric properties with respect to convergent and divergent validity. The present study's demonstration of the reliability and validity of the SPOVI suggests that the instrument may be a valuable tool for assessing emetophobia symptoms based on its one-factor structure.