Psychometric properties of the brief fear of negative evaluation scale—Straightforward items

Objectives: The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale—straightforward items (BFNE-S) within an Italian sample. Specifically, the study was designed to validate the scale factor structure, reliability, concurrent validity, and measurement invariance across sexes. Method: A total of 652 participants (70.71% female and 29.29% males, aged 18–66) completed the BFNE-S and additional related scales including the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), Social Phobia Scale (SPS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the SCOFF Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to assess for a unidimensional structure, followed by testing of measurement invariance test between sexes. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's Omega, and concurrent validity was tested through correlations with related measures. Results: The CFA supported the unidimensional structure of the BFNE-S with excellent fit indices (CFI = 0.998, RMSEA = 0.058). No measurement invariance violations were observed between sexes, despite their frequencies being slightly unbalanced. The BFNE-S demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.96, McDonald's ω = 0.97). There were positive correlations among BFNE-S, the SIAS (ρ = 0.67), SPS (ρ = 0.67), as well as with DASS-21 subscales (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) and SCOFF, and inverse correlations with RSES. Conclusion: The BFNE-S exhibited robust reliability, validity, and measurement invariance across sexes in an Italian sample. Psychometric evidence supports the BFNE-S as a reliable tool for measuring fear of negative evaluation in the nonclinical population, providing a valuable resource for research and clinical assessments.