Validation of the Parent Version of the Nighttime Fears Scale (NFS-P) for Children Aged 3–8 Years

Abstract

Background: Nighttime fears are highly prevalent in children, ranging from normative fears to triggering fear-related anxiety disorders. The lack of available assessment instruments recently prompted the development of the Nighttime Fears Scale (NFS) for children aged 8–12 years. The present study aimed to adapt and psychometrically evaluate the parent-reported version for children aged 3–8 years (NFS-P) as a complement for younger children. Methods: Two hundred eighty-four Spanish-speaking parents (47% girls) completed the NFS-P and anxiety measures. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses supported a four-factor structure of the NFS-P. Strong internal consistency and validity evidence were obtained. No significant differences were found in NFS-P scores between sexes and age groups. Conclusions: The findings offer support for the use of the NFS-P as a valuable instrument in clinical and research settings, supplementing the NFS for older children. Both scales provide an efficient means to comprehensively assess the presence and intensity of typical nighttime fears across preschool and school years.