Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale
BFNEA 12-item short form assessing apprehension and distress about being negatively evaluated by others.
Ready-to-cite methods sentence
Reliability & validation
Known limitations
Reverse-worded items can introduce method variance, and later straightforward-item variants are distinct instruments. Record the exact version used rather than treating BFNE variants as interchangeable.
Original citation
Leary, M. R. (1983). A brief version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 9(3), 371-375.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167283093007This instrument is licensed. Obtain permission from the copyright holder before using it in your study.
Questions researchers ask
What does the BFNE measure?
A 12-item short form assessing apprehension and distress about being negatively evaluated by others.
How many items does the BFNE have?
The Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE) has 12 items.
Is the BFNE free to use?
The BFNE is licensed. You must obtain permission from the copyright holder before using it in a study — Folio does not distribute its item wording without that permission.
Is the BFNE reliable?
Validation studies report Cronbach's α of 0.9. See the reliability section for the population studied and full statistics.
Who developed the BFNE, and how do I cite it?
Leary, M. R. (1983). A brief version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 9(3), 371-375. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167283093007
Use BFNE in Folio Surveyor
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Library entry verified August 2026. Metadata is provided for reference; item wording is available inside Folio Surveyor, subject to each instrument's licensing.