The Japanese self-focused attention scale: Factor structure, internal consistency, convergent, and discriminant validity

Self-focused attention is a maintaining factor for social anxiety disorder. It was shown that self-focused attention correlates with trait mindfulness, but not with attention control. This study examined the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the self-focused attention (J-SFA) scale.

Students (N = 502) completed a set of questionnaires, measuring self-focused attention, social anxiety symptoms, trait mindfulness, and attention control.

A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the J-SFA scale has a bi-factor structure. The Cronbach's α coefficient was high. Correlation analysis showed that each factor of the J-SFA scale was significantly weakly to moderately correlated with social anxiety symptoms and trait mindfulness, and the J-SFA scale's factors were significantly or non-significantly very weakly correlated with attentional control functions.

The findings indicate that the J-SFA demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity for our sample and provide impetus for future research into the measure for clinical and nonclinical samples in Japan.