Application of Logistic Regression on the Analysis of Chilean Children’s Fears*

Abstract

The research aimed at finding some deciding factors in Chilean children’s fears. For carrying out this study, a survey was administered to children between 6 and 11 years old through personal interviews, under their teachers’ supervision and parents’ permission. The measuring instrument was based on the questionnaire adaptation “Fear Survey for Children; revised, FSSCR”. The sample consisted of 729 children of both genders and from different socioeconomic strata and areas (urban and rural). For its examination, a Factorial Analysis of Main Components was applied, resulting that fears can be grouped into five factors: Daily life, Supernatural facts, Health, Natural disasters and Self-esteem. Thanks to this, a weighted index of fears was built. Through a Logistic Regression Model, some possible deciding factors in children’s fears were analysed. For example, it was found that living in the city or in the country is not a significant factor when determining children’s fears. On the other hand, the factors that turned out to be significant are: the gender, finding terrifying images on the internet, the socioeconomic level that each child belongs to and, being able to manage on his or her own when the child confronts a frightening event.