The Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised: Normative Developmental Data in Italy

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore children's fear content. Using the Italian Fear Survey Schedule for Children, an Italian-language version of Ollendick's Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (1983), the study assessed the reliability of the survey and reported intensity, prevalence, and content of fears in children aged six to 10 years, using this questionnaire. 1,845 school children (931 girls, 914 boys; M age=8.3 yr., SD=1.4) were asked to complete the survey, indicating what they thought were their fears, and the intensity of those fears. Sex and age differences were also examined. Girls endorsed significantly higher fearfulness than did boys. Few age differences were found, with seven-year-olds appearing more fearful than 10- to 11-year-old children. Results were interpreted in relation to developmental changes. Cross-national comparisons were discussed.

Structure of the Italian Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-IT)

“…Previous articles with Italian children showed meaningful developmental differences between 6 to 7 years old children and 8 to 10 years old children (Di Riso et al, 2010;Salcuni et al, 2009). A decrease in Fear of Animals, Fear of the Unknown, and Medical Fears factors was expected in older children (e.g., Di Riso et al, 2010). Moreover, no age-related differences were predicted for the other FSSC-IT factors (e.g., Failure and Criticism; see Westenberg et al, 2004).…”

“…Recent studies focusing on children's fears in nonreferred groups, presented the same age sub-sampling (i.e., McMurtry, Noel, Chambers, & McGrath, 2011). Previous articles with Italian children showed meaningful developmental differences between 6 to 7 years old children and 8 to 10 years old children (Di Riso et al, 2010;Salcuni et al, 2009). A decrease in Fear of Animals, Fear of the Unknown, and Medical Fears factors was expected in older children (e.g., Di Riso et al, 2010).…”

“…Special arrangements were made in order to administer the instruments to 6-7 year old children. In particular, a graphic response scale was adopted made up of a series of three small faces with different expressions of fear according to the three possible intensity scores (see Muris et al, 2003;Di Riso et al, 2010).…”

“…Major findings revealed that independently of their cultural background, girls reported significantly more fears than boys, and younger children endorsed more fears than older children (Muris, Meesters, & Knoops, 2005). Even if two previous studies were already carried out using the FSSC-IT, they only aimed to provide initial normative developmental data (Di Riso et al, 2010) and to evaluate psychometric properties and construct validity via an explorative approach (Salcuni et al, 2009).…”

“…With only a few exceptions, the most widely used tool to assess fear in youth is the 80-item Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (FSSC-R; Ollendick, 1983). The FSSC-R scores have shown robust psychometric properties in terms of both reliability and validity (e.g., Di Riso, Salcuni, Chessa, & Lis, 2010;Mellon, Koliadis, & Paraskevopoulos, 2004). Although, the FSSC-R has been revised (FSSC-II; Fisher et al, 2006 andFSSC-HI, Shore &Rapport, 1998), the most prevalent fears are the same as those captured by the original version of the measure (Gullone, 2000).…”