Dimensions of agoraphobia assessed by the Mobility Inventory

Factor analyses of the When Accompanied and When Alone subscales of the Mobility Inventory (Chambless, Caputo, Jasin, Gracely & Williams, Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 35-44, 1985) were conducted using the responses of 177 panic disorder with agoraphobia patients. For both subscales a three-factor model was the most appropriate and accounted for approx. 60% of the variance in each case. The three factors were reliable and theoretically meaningful: fear of public places, enclosed spaces and open spaces. The fear of public places factor accounted for most of the explained variance and is discussed in relation to the social evaluation component of panic attacks.