Child- and Parent-Report Measures of Behavioral Avoidance (CAMS/CAMP): Portuguese Validation in Clinical and Non-Clinical Samples

Abstract

Objective. Behavioral avoidance is a core component in the understanding and treatment of emotional disorders. The Child Avoidance Measure–Self Report (CAMS) and Child Avoidance Measure–Parent Report (CAMP) are 8-item self-report measures that assess child’s behavioral avoidance from the child’s and parent´s perspectives, respectively. The present study aims to analyze the factor structure and psychometric properties of the CAMS and CAMP in clinical and community samples of Portuguese school-aged children and parents. Method. The clinical sample included 172 parent-child dyads (children aged 6–13 years; 89% mothers) in which the child had a primary diagnosis of an anxiety or anxiety-related disorder. The community sample included independent subsamples of 288 children (8–13 years) and 210 parents (93.3% mothers). Participants completed the CAMS and CAMP (in both samples) and a self-report questionnaire assessing anxiety symptoms (only in the clinical sample). Results. The one-factor structure of the CAMS and CAMP was confirmed in both samples using a confirmatory factor analysis. The CAMS and CAMP presented good internal consistency in clinical and community samples. The convergent validity of the scales was supported by significant correlations between each other and with a measure of anxiety symptomatology. Furthermore, both scales demonstrated the ability to distinguish between clinical and nonclinical participants. In the clinical sample, the scales demonstrated sensitivity to change in response to exposure-focused CBT. Conclusions. The CAMS and CAMP have adequate psychometric properties and enable a multiinformant assessment of children's behavioral avoidance in clinical and nonclinical samples.