Child- and Parent-Report Measures of Behavioral Avoidance (CAMS/CAMP): Portuguese Validation in Clinical and Non-Clinical Samples

Abstract

ObjectiveBehavioral avoidance is a core component in the understanding and treatment of emotional disorders. The Child Avoidance Measure–Self Report (CAMS) and Child Avoidance Measure–Parent Report (CAMP) are two 8-item measures that assess a child’s behavioral avoidance from the child’s and parent´s perspectives, respectively. The present study aimed to analyze the factor structure and psychometric properties of the CAMS and CAMP in clinical and nonclinical samples of Portuguese school-aged children and their parents.MethodsThe clinical sample included 172 parent–child dyads (children: aged 6–13 years; parents: 89% mothers) in which the child had a primary diagnosis of an anxiety or anxiety-related disorder. The nonclinical sample included independent subsamples of 288 children (aged 8–13 years) and 210 parents (93.3% mothers). In both samples, participants completed the CAMS and CAMP; the clinical sample additionally completed a self-report questionnaire assessing anxiety symptoms.ResultsA one-factor structure of the CAMS and CAMP was confirmed in both samples using confirmatory factor analysis. The CAMS and CAMP presented good internal consistency in clinical and nonclinical samples. The convergent validity of the scales was supported by significant correlations with each other and with a measure of anxiety symptomatology. Furthermore, both scales could distinguish between clinical and nonclinical participants. In the clinical sample, the scales demonstrated sensitivity to changes in response to exposure-focused CBT.ConclusionsThe CAMS and CAMP have adequate psychometric properties and provide a multi-informant assessment of children’s behavioral avoidance in clinical and nonclinical samples.