Factor analysis and validation of a self-report measure of impaired fear inhibition

Abstract

Difficulties with inhibiting fear have been associated with the emergence of anxiety problems and poor response to cognitive-behavioural treatment. Fear inhibition problems measured using experimental paradigms involving aversive (or even mildly unpleasant) stimuli may be inappropriate for vulnerable samples and may not capture fear inhibition problems as manifested in everyday life. We present, the Fear Inhibition Questionnaire (FIQ), a novel self-report measure of fear inhibition problems, and assess its factor structure across two cultures and how well it correlates with fear inhibition indices derived experimentally. Adolescent participants from Hong Kong and England completed the FIQ, with the English participants also completing a conditioning and extinction task to assess fear inhibition problem. The FIQ’s factor structure and its relationship with the experimental measures of fear inhibition and self-reported anxious symptoms (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders; SCARED) were examined. Across both cultures, the FIQ showed a single factor structure and low FIQ scores, or worse fear inhibition problems, were associated with self-reports of heightened anxiety. Correlation of FIQ scores with experimental indices, whilst controlling for anxious symptoms, suggest that the FIQ represents a valid and unique measure of fear inhibition abilities. The FIQ might be used to assess more ecologically-valid fear inhibition problems particularly amongst people who have or who are at risk of anxiety diagnoses.