This study aimed to develop a new scale entitled Aphenphosmphobia Scale (APS) to assess fear of being touched in Pakistani adolescents. After the development of 10-items APS in Urdu language, a sample of the scale was completed by young individuals between the ages of 15 and 25. The 71 responders had an average age of 19.23±2.13 years. The mean APS score, when using the recommended scoring technique (10 to 50), was 30.53±7.92. A favorable result from the reliability analysis was obtained (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.80). A substantial positive association was found by convergent validity between APS and Touch Avoidance Measure scores (r = 0.451, P < 0.010). The study findings showed that APS as a reliable and valid measure to for assessment of fear of being touched in Pakistan.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Measures
4. Results
4.1 Descriptive findings
5. Reliability
5.1 Inter-item Reliability
6. Validity
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
9. Recommendations and Suggestions
10. Author's Contribution
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to develop and validate the Aphenphosmphobia Scale (APS), a new self-report instrument designed to assess the fear of being touched among adolescents in the Pakistani population.
- Development of a 10-item psychometric scale in the Urdu language.
- Evaluation of the scale's internal consistency and reliability.
- Assessment of convergent validity using the Touch Avoidance Measure.
- Analysis of gender differences regarding the fear of being touched.
- Exploring the significance of touch in human development and social interaction.
Excerpt from the Publication
Introduction
Aphenphosmphobia (or haphephobia) is the term for the severe dread of touching or being touched. Aphenphosmphobia's (AP) symptoms resemble those of other phobias quite a bit. (Nahar et al., 2022). While many people dislike touching by strangers, AP is a severe anxiety that arises from touching anyone, even close friends or relatives. A vital component of human communication is touch (Knapp, Hall, & Horgan, 2013) is an essential component of both mental and physical health (Field, 2019). Touch is a crucial "active ingredient" in the early postnatal months of life for the establishment of familial ties and safe attachment (Duhn, 2010; White, 2004). (Gordon et al., 2010). It is true that social contact from carers is almost always accompanied by benefits (i.e., comfort, food) (Zernig et al., 2013).
Adolescents and adults can benefit from social touch in ways beyond romantic or sexual connections. When a youngster feels comfortable with the experimenter, they are more likely to comply with the request to wait for permission before consuming a piece of candy (Leonard et al., 2014). It has been shown that pleasant, contingent contact from teachers in the classroom increases young children's on-task behavior and reduces their disruptive behavior (Wheldall et al., 1986). Furthermore, observational study participants or consumers tend to respond more readily to requests when they are accompanied with a kind touch. When someone is touched at the same time as a request, people are more inclined to grant it (Joule & Gueguen, 2003).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section defines Aphenphosmphobia and emphasizes the psychological and physiological importance of touch in human development and social behavior.
Methods: This chapter outlines the cross-sectional, descriptive design of the study, detailing the development of the Urdu-language scale through expert reviews and online resources.
Measures: This part introduces the specific instruments used, including the 10-item APS and the Touch Avoidance Measure (TAM-1) for validation purposes.
Results: This section presents the collected data, including demographic profiles and initial descriptive statistics regarding APS scores among the participants.
Reliability: This chapter validates the internal consistency of the APS using Cronbach's alpha and analyzes item-total correlations.
Validity: This section confirms the convergent validity of the scale by demonstrating a significant positive correlation between the APS and established touch avoidance measures.
Discussion: This component interprets the findings, suggesting that a moderate level of touch fear exists in the population, while acknowledging study limitations such as sample size.
Conclusion: This section summarizes that the APS is a potentially reliable and valid tool for assessing touch-related phobias in Pakistani adolescents.
Recommendations and Suggestions: The authors suggest future research, particularly regarding male participants and broader Asian populations, to further refine the scale's psychometric properties.
Author's Contribution: This section clarifies the individual roles of the researchers in conceptualizing, developing, and writing the study.
Keywords
Aphenphosmphobia, Haphephobia, Touch, Scale Development, Adolescents, Psychology, Psychometrics, Convergent Validity, Pakistan, Social Interaction, Touch Avoidance, Mental Health, Phobias, Reliability, Questionnaire.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research study?
The study focuses on the development and validation of the Aphenphosmphobia Scale (APS), an instrument created to measure the fear of being touched among adolescents in Pakistan.
What are the central themes addressed in the paper?
The themes include the importance of social touch, the psychological impact of touch deprivation, the psychometric validation of a new scale, and the assessment of specific phobias.
What is the main research question or objective?
The primary objective is to produce a reliable and valid Urdu-language self-report scale capable of accurately identifying and assessing the severity of Aphenphosmphobia.
Which scientific methodology was utilized?
The researchers employed a descriptive, cross-sectional design, utilizing expert review for item development, pilot testing, and statistical analysis (Cronbach's alpha and t-tests).
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body covers the literature on touch communication, the specific procedures for developing the scale, demographic analysis of the sample, and statistical validation results.
Which keywords define this academic work?
Key terms include Aphenphosmphobia, scale development, adolescents, psychometrics, touch avoidance, and internal consistency.
Is the Aphenphosmphobia Scale suitable for other populations?
The authors suggest that while it was developed for the Pakistani population, it has potential for use in other Asian populations, though further cross-validation is recommended.
Did the study find significant differences between genders?
The study results indicated no significant statistical difference in APS scores between male and female participants, though note that the female sample size was significantly larger.
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- Nazia Yaqoob (Autor:in), Shaista Jabeen (Autor:in), Ayesha Manzoor (Autor:in), Javeria Amjad (Autor:in), Nimra Yaseen (Autor:in), Rahiq ul Firdous (Autor:in), 2024, Development and Validation of Aphenphosmphobia Scale in Early Adults, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1487949
