A Turkish-Language Validation and Reliability Study of the Storm Fear Questionnaire (SFQ)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish-language version of the Storm Fear Questionnaire (SFQ). Material and Methods: The research was completed with 299 individuals. After obtaining sociodemographic information of the participants, Storm Fear Questionnaire, Eco-Anxiety Scale and Severity Measure for Specific Phobia were administered. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was applied to evaluate the scale’s construct validity, while Cronbach's alpha (α) reliability coefficient was used to determine its consistency, and test-retest reliability was employed to determine its stability. Results: Scores from the SFQ scale ranged from 0 to 56, with a mean score of 13.30±11.40. A structure consisting of a single factor with an eigenvalue greater than 1, explaining 59.0% of the total variance emerged from the factor analysis. Factor loadings for the SFQ, the original of which consists of 15 items, ranged between 0.594 and 0.879. One item with a factor loading less than 0.30 was removed from the scale. The Cronbach alpha coefficient of the first test was 0.943. Conclusion: We think that the 14-item scale obtained in this research can be employed as a valid and reliable tool for evaluating storm fear in adults in Türkiye.