Trait Fear (TF)

This questionnaire uses a variety of items from other verified measures to measure the amount of fear one has as a personality trait.

ITEM CODING

Scoring Instructions:

For all items keyed “True”: T=3, t=2, f=1, F=0

For all items keyed “False”: T=0, t=1, f=2, F=3

For items keyed “B”: B=3, b=2, a=1, A=0

For FSS items: 1=0, 2=.75, 3=1.5, 4=2.25, 5=3 (i.e., recode FSS items from 5-point to 4-point scale so each counts the same toward total as other items preceding these)

SCALES

TF: ( 1 , 13 , 15 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 40 ), Reverse: ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 14 , 16 , 17 , 21 , 23 , 25 , 29 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 41 , 42 )

TF_FSS: ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 )

RESOURCE FILES

TF Questionnaire pdf

TF Scoring key

TF R Scoring File

REFERENCES

Vaidyanathan, U., Patrick, C. J., & Bernat, E. M. (2009). Startle reflex potentiation during aversive picture viewing as an indicator of trait fear. Psychophysiology, 46(1), 75-85.

Patrick, C. J., & Bernat, E. M. (2010). Neuroscientific foundations of psychopathology.

Kramer, M. D., Patrick, C. J., Krueger, R. F., & Gasperi, M. (2012). Delineating physiologic defensive reactivity in the domain of self-report: phenotypic and etiologic structure of dispositional fear. Psychological medicine, 42(6), 1305-1320.