Psychometric Properties of the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey—Parents (HFS-P) in the Portuguese Context

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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Hypoglycemia occurs when blood glucose levels drop significantly below the normal range leading to unpleasant symptoms and a greater risk of acute complications. Fear of hypoglycemia (FH) is a conditioned psychological response to hypoglycemia frequently experienced by people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their loved ones. The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a Portuguese translation of the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey—Parents (HFS-P) for the parents of youths with T1D. Methods: The sample consisted of 102 parents (M = 44.58 years old; SD = 5.01; mothers = 92.2%) of youths with T1D (8 to 17 years of age; M = 12.67; SD = 2.58). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and convergent validity were performed to examine the factor structure and the construct validity of the HFS-P. Results: CFA supports a refined two-factor 18-item version of the HFS-P. The results indicate good psychometric properties (χ2 [129] = 220.47.; p ≤ 0.001; χ2/DF = 1.71; RMSEA = 0.08; SRMR = 0.07; CFI = 0.93; TLI = 0.91; GFI = 0.93) along with good to excellent internal consistency coefficients (behavior subscale: α = 0.81, total: α = 0.93, and worry: α = 0.94). Conclusions: Our Portuguese version of the HFS-P appears reliable for assessing FH in parents of youths with T1D, and is ready for use in clinical research and to evaluate psychological interventions targeting parental FH in the Portuguese context.
Funding Information
  • Foundation for Science and Technology (2024.00467.BDANA)

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