Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory – Short Form (PFAI-S)

Abstract

The Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory – Short Form (PFAI-S) is a concise, five-item psychometric instrument designed to measure the cognitive appraisals associated with the fear of failure (FoF). Developed by Conroy and colleagues in 2002, the PFAI-S is a validated abbreviated version of the original 25-item Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI). It is specifically engineered to assess the multidimensional nature of FoF, focusing on the five core negative consequences that individuals anticipate following a poor performance or failure event. This instrument is widely used in academic research, particularly within sport psychology and achievement motivation contexts, offering a quick and reliable measure of an individual’s dispositional tendency toward performance anxiety related to failure.

Keywords

Fear of Failure, PFAI-S, Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory, Sport Psychology, Achievement Motivation, Performance Anxiety, Cognitive Appraisal, Psychometrics

Authors

Damian E. Conroy, A. Poczwardowski, K. P. Henschen, J. P. Willow, J. N. Metzler

Purpose

The primary purpose of the PFAI-S is to efficiently quantify an individual’s dispositional tendency to experience Fear of Failure (FoF) by measuring the subjective importance and likelihood of five specific negative consequences associated with poor performance. Unlike scales that measure general anxiety or motivation, the PFAI-S focuses specifically on the evaluative criteria individuals use when appraising performance outcomes.

The short form was developed to provide researchers and practitioners with a highly economical tool that retains the strong psychometric properties of the full 25-item PFAI, making it suitable for studies requiring quick administration or where time constraints are a concern.

Construct

The PFAI-S measures the construct of Fear of Failure (FoF), conceptualized not as a single emotion, but as a multidimensional construct rooted in the anticipation of specific negative consequences following performance failure. The original PFAI identified five distinct dimensions, and the PFAI-S includes one representative item from each of these core factors, yielding a total FoF score.

The five dimensions of failure consequences appraised are:

• Fear of Experiencing Shame & Embarrassment (FSE): Worry about public display of failure.
• Fear of Devaluing One’s Self-Estimate (FDSE): Fear that failure indicates a lack of talent or ability, leading to self-devaluation.
• Fear of having an Uncertain Future (FUF): Concern that failure will jeopardize future plans or goals.
• Fear of Important Others Losing Interest (FIOLI): Worry that failure will lead to social isolation or withdrawal of support from important people.
• Fear of Upsetting Important Others (FUIO): Concern about disappointing or angering significant figures.

Validity

The validity of the PFAI-S is established through its strong correlation with the full PFAI and its adherence to the five-factor structure identified in the original instrument. The short form demonstrates high construct validity by predicting achievement behaviors and emotional responses consistent with theoretical models of achievement motivation and Fear of Failure. Research has shown that the PFAI and PFAI-S scores correlate significantly with measures of performance anxiety and avoidance behaviors.

Reliability

The PFAI-S maintains good internal consistency, reflecting the reliability of the underlying dimensions it represents. While the PFAI-S itself is too short (5 items) to report a single Cronbach’s alpha for the total score that is directly comparable to the full scale, its reliability is inferred from the strong internal consistency of the five original subscales, from which the short form items were selected.

The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) for the five subscales of the 25-item PFAI, upon which the PFAI-S is based, are:

• Fear of Experiencing Shame & Embarrassment (FSE): .80
• Fear of Devaluing One’s Self-Estimate (FDSE): .74
• Fear of having an Uncertain Future (FUF): .80
• Fear of Important Others Losing Interest (FIOLI): .80
• Fear of Upsetting Important Others (FUIO): .78

Factor Analysis

The development of both the PFAI and the PFAI-S relied on rigorous factor analytic procedures. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the original 25-item PFAI confirmed a robust five-factor structure, supporting the multidimensional conceptualization of Fear of Failure. The PFAI-S was constructed by selecting the item with the highest factor loading from each of these five empirically derived subscales. This methodology ensures that the short form captures the breadth of the FoF construct defined by the five distinct anticipated consequences.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychometric Scale

Format: The PFAI-S utilizes a brief, 5-item format. Response options typically follow a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), though some earlier applications of the full PFAI used a scale ranging from -2 (“Do Not Believe At All”) to +2 (“Believe 100% of the Time”).

Language Available: English (Original), with translations available in various languages due to its wide use in international research.

Population Group: Individuals involved in achievement settings (e.g., athletes, students, professionals).

Age Group: Adolescents and Young Adults (as referenced in supporting literature).

Population Details: Originally validated primarily on competitive athletes and students, the scale is applicable to any population facing evaluative performance demands.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate the extent to which they believe each statement is true when they are failing or not succeeding. A total score is calculated by summing the responses across the five items, providing a measure of General Fear of Failure (FoF).

Keywords

Fear of Experiencing Shame & Embarrassment, Fear of Devaluing One’s Self-Estimate, Fear of having an Uncertain Future, Fear of Important Others Losing Interest, Fear of Upsetting Important Others, PFAI-S, Fear of Failure, Assessment

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence generally directed to Dr. Damian E. Conroy (The Pennsylvania State University, at the time of publication).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was formally published in its multidimensional form around 2002 (Conroy, Willow, & Metzler, 2002). The administration and use of the PFAI-S usually require permission from the primary author, Dr. Damian E. Conroy. Specific fee structures are determined by the author or associated institution. The instrument and accompanying manuals are often made available for academic research purposes.

The original PDF users manuals for the instrument can be downloaded here:

• http://php.scripts.psu.edu/users/d/e/dec9/uploads/3/0/4/0/304067/2003_pfai_users_manual.pdf
• http://www.personal.psu.edu/dec9/oldweb/lab/reprints/pfai_man_brf_03a.pdf

Reference’s

• Conroy, D. E. (2001). Progress in the development of a multidimensional measure of fear of failure: The Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI). Anxiety, Stress & Coping: An International Journal, 14(4), 431-452.
• Conroy, D. E. (2001). Progress in the development of a multidimensional measure of fear of failure: The Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI). Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 13, 431-452.
• Conroy, D. E., Poczwardowski, A., & Henschen, K. P. (2001). Evaluative criteria and consequences associated with failure and success among elite performers. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 13, 300-322.
• Conroy, D. E. (2000). The use of performance failure appraisals to conceptualize and assess fear of failure. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
• Conroy, D. E. (2001). Fear of failure as an exemplar for social development research in sport. Quest, 53, 165-183.
• Conroy, D. E., Willow, J. P., & Metzler, J. N. (2002). Multidimensional fear of failure measurement: The Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14, 76-90.
• Conroy, D. E. (2002). Representational models associated with fear of failure in adolescents and young adults. Manuscript submitted for publication.
• Conroy, D. E. & Metzler, J. N. (2002). Patterns of self-talk associated with different forms of competitive anxiety. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Items of the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory – Short Form (PFAI-S)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. When I am failing‚ I am afraid that I might not have enough talent.
2. When I am failing‚ it upsets my “plan” for the future.
3. When I am not succeeding‚ people are less interested in me.
4. When I am failing‚ important others are disappointed.
5. When I am failing‚ I worry about what others think about me.

Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory – long Form (PFAI-S)