Medo de ficar solteiro: evidências psicométricas e de validade de uma medida

The fear of being single can lead to changes in the quality of life of individuals, which may affect their well-being and self-esteem. This research aimed to validate the Fear of Being Single Scale (FBSS) for Brazil, presenting evidence of its psychometric quality through two studies. Study 1 had 172 participants (Age M = 23.69, SD = 7.77; 64.5% women) and replicated the one-factor structure of the 1 Endereço para correspondência: Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Centro de Educação, Departamento de Psicopedagogia, João Pessoa, PB, Brasil 58051-900. E-mail: pnfonseca.ufpb@gmail.com e linshc@gmail.com Agradecimentos: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), por bolsa de Doutorado Pleno concedida ao último autor. Fonseca, P. N., Gouveia, V. V., Santos, J. L. F., Couto, R. N., Coelho, G. L. H. 1500 instrument, with six items. Study 2 had 220 participants (Age M = 21.90, SD = 5.64; 59.5% women) and confi rmed the structure using a CFA, with satisfactory indices (CFI = .96; TLI = .94), and provided evidence for the factorial invariance of the instrument, in relation to participants’ relationship status. Additionally, convergent validity was presented through signifi cant correlations with loneliness and life satisfaction scores, and a difference was also observed between men and women regarding the fear of being single. Finally, the scale showed adequate levels of reliability (Cronbach’s alpha, α = 0.88) and composite reliability (CR = 0.82). In conclusion, the scale presented satisfactory evidence for its use in a Brazilian context.