THE NATURE OF FEARED OUTCOME REPRESENTATIONS IN CHILDREN

The present study investigated the way in which feared outcomes are or ganized in long-term memoir in children and adolescents. A list of ite ms relating to threatening outcomes, originally generated by children, was given to an additional 560 children (aged 6 to 16) and rated for the degree to which they worried about each. Factor analysis revealed two interpretable factors of feared outcomes. The first factor centere d on concerns about physical harm while the second factor centered on social consequences that children and adolescents worry about. The two factors were consistent across gender, age, and clinical statics. A s cale involving the maximally discriminating items showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability.