# Psychometric validation of the Specific Phobia Questionnaire in an Australian community sample

## TL;DR

This study confirms that the Specific Phobia Questionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing specific phobias in the Australian community.

## Contribution

The SPQ's psychometric properties are validated for the first time in an Australian population.

## Key findings

- Confirmatory factor analysis showed the SPQ fits a multidimensional factor structure.
- The SPQ demonstrated excellent internal consistency and adequate convergent and discriminant validity.
- The SPQ is a reliable and valid measure for assessing specific phobias in Australian community samples.

## Abstract

The Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ; Fairbrother & Antony, 2012) is a 43-item scale that measures fear and interference towards various specific phobias. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the SPQ in an Australian population.

The sample consisted of 287 participants, aged 18–76 (M = 28.30, SD = 12.07).

Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit of the multidimensional factor structure. The SPQ showed excellent internal consistency in total, fear items, interference items, and low to high internal consistency when classified into the five factors. The SPQ demonstrated adequate convergent and discriminant validity when correlated with the Specific Phobia Dimensional Scale and the Panic Disorder Severity Scale – Self Report, respectively.

Overall, the SPQ is a valid and reliable measure to use in an Australian community population. Future research is considered.

What is already know about this topic:
Anxiety disorders are among the most experienced mental health conditions in Australia. Of these, specific phobia has the highest lifetime prevalence.Few wide-ranging, reliable and valid assessment tools that align with DSM-specific phobia criteria exist.The Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ) has been psychometrically validated with excellent validity, excellent reliability and fits a multidimensional factor structure based on the DSM-5 with a Canadian population.

Anxiety disorders are among the most experienced mental health conditions in Australia. Of these, specific phobia has the highest lifetime prevalence.

Few wide-ranging, reliable and valid assessment tools that align with DSM-specific phobia criteria exist.

The Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ) has been psychometrically validated with excellent validity, excellent reliability and fits a multidimensional factor structure based on the DSM-5 with a Canadian population.

What this topic adds:
Findings from this study demonstrate that the SPQ fits a multidimensional factor structure, has good validity and overall great reliability in an Australian community sample.The SPQ is a useful tool in the assessment of specific phobia in an Australian population.The SPQ can be distinguished from other unrelated anxiety scales.

Findings from this study demonstrate that the SPQ fits a multidimensional factor structure, has good validity and overall great reliability in an Australian community sample.

The SPQ is a useful tool in the assessment of specific phobia in an Australian population.

The SPQ can be distinguished from other unrelated anxiety scales.