Table 2.
Internal consistency of the Fear of Relapse Scale.
| Item | Item-total correlation | Score (mean ± SD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. I feel another relapse is about to happen whenever I get red eyes or feel pain behind my eyes. | .366** | 1.07 (1.2) |
| 2. Another relapse means another hospitalization | .541** | 1.43 (1.4) |
| 3. My appearance gives away the fact that I am experiencing a relapse. | .521** | 1.16 (1.2) |
| 4. Each relapse means the disease is spreading in the nervous system. | .594** | 1.65 (1.2) |
| 5. I do a lot of exercises because I am afraid of experiencing a relapse. | .370** | 1.21 (1.3) |
| 6. I don’t drive in fear of a relapse. | .453** | 0.9 (1.5) |
| 7. Whenever a relapse happens, it can only be managed with more corticosteroids. | .564** | 1.63 (1.5) |
| 8. The disease will come back in the form of a relapse if I stop taking medication for one month. | .601** | 1.68 (1.5) |
| 9. Each relapse takes me one step closer to becoming bedridden. | .622** | 1.51 (1.3) |
| 10. Each relapse will make me more dependent on other people. | .575** | 1.74 (1.5) |
| 11. Thinking about relapses makes my heart jitter. | .686** | 1.72 (1.4) |
| 12. After each relapse, I put all my task and duties aside. | .583** | 1.17 (1.2) |
| 13. A severe relapse with strong symptoms can result in death. | .428** | 0.56 (1) |
| 14. Any experience of numbness and tingling in my limbs means I am having another relapse. | .513** | 1.39 (1.2) |
| 15. Heat can trigger a relapse. | .371** | 1.99 (1.3) |
| 16. Relapses cause memory decline. | .548** | 1.6 (1.3) |
| 17. Relapses cause loss of control over movement and posture stability. | .664** | 1.9 (1.3) |
| 18. When I think about relapse, I am unable to think about anything else. | .742** | 1.62 (1.4) |
| 19. Grave news can trigger a relapse. | .635** | 2.04 (1.2) |
| 20. Due to fear of a sudden relapse, I try not to take a shower when I am home alone. | .305** | 0.27 (0.8) |
| 21. Relapses worsen the level of fatigue I feel. | .623** | 2.14 (1.3) |
| 22. Relapses can cause urine and stool incontinence. | .453** | 1.09 (1.2) |
| 23. I try not to go out much due to the fear of experiencing a sudden relapse. | .499** | 0.64 (1.1) |
| 24. Thinking about the disease decreases my libido significantly. | .497** | 1.1 (1.3) |
| 25. I don’t accept new tasks due to fear of relapses. | .559** | 0.92 (1.3) |
| 26. A bad headache can be a sign of a sudden relapse. | .475** | 1.09 (1.2) |
| 27. Whenever I drop anything, I think I am about to have a relapse. | .609** | 1.19 (1.3) |
| 28. The thought of experiencing a relapse makes me cry. | .622** | 1.53 (1.6) |
| 29. Not knowing when the next relapse is going to happen is very annoying to me. | .650** | 1.25 (1.5) |
| 30. I think increased sensitivity to exercises or tastes can be a sign of relapse. | .298** | 0.4 (0.8) |
| 31. Blurred vision or double vision can be a sign of relapse. | .460** | 2.38 (1.3) |