Inventory-Description

The Specific Phobia of Vomiting Inventory (SPVI-14) is a psychometric tool designed to assess the level of fear and anxiety associated with vomiting, a condition known as emetophobia. It consists of 14 questions and aims to measure the intensity, frequency, and impact of this fear on an individual’s daily life.
The SPVI-14 covers various aspects of emetophobia, including:
The fear of the possibility of vomiting oneself.
The fear of seeing others vomit.
The avoidance of situations or activities that could potentially cause vomiting.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data from the SPVI-14 are collected through self-reports from participants, who evaluate the level of fear and anxiety they experience in situations related to vomiting. Key analyses include:
Reliability analysis: Calculating Cronbach’s alpha to determine the internal consistency of the scale.
Factor analysis: Examining the dimensions of fear covered by the tool, such as avoidance, anxiety, and behaviors related to vomiting.
Correlation analysis: Investigating the relationship between the fear of vomiting and other psychological variables, such as anxiety, depression, or quality of life.
Data from the SPVI-14 can be used in research and clinical settings to understand emetophobia and develop therapeutic interventions.

Purpose

The primary goal of the SPVI-14 is to evaluate the level of fear and anxiety an individual experiences regarding vomiting and identify the situations that may trigger or enhance this fear. Specifically, the tool:
Helps understand the impact of emetophobia on daily life.
Supports the development of tailored therapeutic interventions to address emetophobia.
Serves as a diagnostic tool to identify individuals experiencing significant fear or avoidance of vomiting-related situations.

Calibration

The calibration of the SPVI-14 involves the following stages:
Reliability analysis to assess the consistency of responses and the scale’s stability.
Confirmatory factor analysis to test the validity of the scale’s structure and ensure that the various dimensions are measured accurately.
Cross-validation in different populations to ensure the generalizability of the results.

Bibliography

Veale, D., & Lambrou, C. (2006). The psychopathology of vomit phobia. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 189(6), 566-570.
Boschen, M. J. (2007). Reconceptualizing emetophobia: A cognitive–behavioral formulation and research agenda. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(3), 407-419.
Van Overveld, W., de Jong, P. J., Peters, M. L., Cavanagh, K., & Davey, G. C. (2008). Disgust propensity and disgust sensitivity in specific fears and phobias: Differences between blood–injection–injury phobia and spider phobia. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22(8), 1545-1557.