Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-81)

Introduction

The Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-81) is a comprehensive self-report instrument designed to assess the nature, intensity, and distribution of fears in children. Originally developed by Scherer and Nakamura and later refined through several revisions, the questionnaire has become one of the most widely used measures of childhood fear and fear-related anxiety. It is extensively employed in developmental psychology, clinical assessment, pediatric mental health, and educational research to identify common fears and evaluate anxiety-related symptoms in children.

Description

The FSSC-81 consists of 81 items, each representing a potentially fear-provoking object, event, or situation. Children indicate how much fear each stimulus produces using a 3-point Likert scale:

  • 1 = Not at all
  • 2 = A little
  • 3 = A lot

The questionnaire evaluates several domains of childhood fears, including:

  • Fear of danger, injury, illness, and death.
  • Fear of the unknown.
  • Animal-related fears.
  • Natural disasters and environmental threats.
  • Medical fears.
  • Social fears and interpersonal situations.
  • School- and performance-related fears.

Factor analytic studies have demonstrated that the scale measures multiple dimensions of childhood fear while also providing a reliable overall index of general fearfulness.

Purpose

The FSSC-81 is designed to:

  • Assess the prevalence and intensity of childhood fears.
  • Identify children at risk for anxiety disorders and specific phobias.
  • Support clinical diagnosis and treatment planning.
  • Monitor changes following psychological or behavioral interventions.
  • Facilitate research on emotional development and fear across childhood.

Administration

The questionnaire is self-administered and generally requires 10–15 minutes to complete. It is primarily intended for children aged 7–12 years, although adapted versions have been used with older children and adolescents. The instrument can be administered individually or in classroom and research settings.

Scoring

Each item is scored from 1 to 3, and responses are summed to obtain:

  • A total fear score representing overall fearfulness.
  • Subscale scores reflecting specific fear domains.

Higher scores indicate greater fear intensity and increased vulnerability to anxiety-related difficulties.

Interpretation

Higher FSSC-81 scores suggest elevated levels of fearfulness and may indicate increased risk for anxiety disorders, specific phobias, or emotional distress. Patterns of elevated subscale scores help clinicians identify the types of fears that are most prominent and may guide individualized intervention strategies. Lower scores generally reflect age-appropriate or relatively low levels of fear.

Normative studies consistently show that girls tend to report higher fear levels than boys, while overall fear intensity generally decreases with age as children mature.

Statistical Analysis

The psychometric evaluation of the FSSC-81 commonly includes:

  • Descriptive statistics.
  • Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha).
  • Test–retest reliability.
  • Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA/CFA).
  • Convergent and discriminant validity.
  • Correlation and regression analyses.
  • Group comparisons (t-test, ANOVA, MANOVA).
  • Item analysis and normative comparisons.

Research has consistently demonstrated excellent internal consistency (often α > 0.90), good temporal stability, and robust construct validity across diverse cultural populations.

Applications

The FSSC-81 is widely used in:

  • Clinical child psychology.
  • Pediatric mental health.
  • School psychology.
  • Developmental psychology.
  • Anxiety and phobia research.
  • Epidemiological studies of childhood mental health.
  • Evaluation of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure-based interventions.

Advantages

  • Comprehensive assessment of a broad spectrum of childhood fears.
  • Strong psychometric properties across numerous cultural adaptations.
  • Brief, easy to administer, and child-friendly.
  • Useful for both clinical screening and research.
  • Enables identification of specific fear domains requiring intervention.

Limitations

As a self-report instrument, responses may be influenced by children’s developmental level, reading ability, emotional state, and willingness to disclose fears. The questionnaire measures perceived fear intensity rather than actual avoidance behaviors and should therefore be interpreted alongside clinical interviews, parent reports, and behavioral assessments.

References

Scherer, M. W., & Nakamura, C. Y. (1968). A Fear Survey Schedule for Children: A Factor Analytic Comparison with Manifest Anxiety.

Ollendick, T. H. (1983). Reliability and Validity of the Revised Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-R).

Gullone, E., & King, N. J. (1992). Psychometric Evaluation of a Revised Fear Survey Schedule for Children and Adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Mellon, R. C., Koliadis, E. M., & Paraskevopoulos, T. D. (2004). Normative Development of Fears in Greece: Self-Reports on the Hellenic Fear Survey Schedule for Children. Journal of Anxiety Disorders.