Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS)
A 35-item self-report assessment designed to measure an individual's anxiety about close, dating relationships.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS) was developed by Carol J. Descutner & Mark H. Thelen (1991). It is designed to measure Fear of Intimacy. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 35 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Imagined Relationship, Past Relationships.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Imagined Relationship | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30 | 30 |
| Past Relationships | 31,32,33,34,35 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all characteristic of me, 2 = Slightly characteristic of me, 3 = Moderately characteristic of me, 4 = Very characteristic of me, 5 = Extremely characteristic of me.
The scale includes 15 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 35 to 175. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Fear of Intimacy: 35 – 74
- Average Fear of Intimacy: 75 – 95
- High Fear of Intimacy: 96 – 175
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency and test-retest reliability.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.