Fear of negative evaluation (FNE), also atychiphobia, is a psychological construct reflecting "apprehension about others' evaluations, distress over negative evaluations by others, and the expectation that others would evaluate one negatively". The construct and a psychological test to measure it were defined by David Watson and Ronald Friend in 1969.

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Fear of Negative Evaluation -A psychometric approach
Dr.Mahboob Khan
Fear of negative evaluation (FNE), also atychiphobia, is a psychological
construct reflecting "apprehension about others' evaluations, distress over
negative evaluations by others, and the expectation that others would evaluate
one negatively". The construct and a psychological test to measure it were
defined by David Watson and Ronald Friend in 1969. FNE is related to specific
personality dimensions, such as anxiousness, submissiveness, and
social avoidance. People who score high on the FNE scale are highly concerned
with seeking social approval or avoiding disapproval by others, and may tend to
avoid situations where they have to undergo evaluations. High FNE subjects are
also more responsive to situational factors. This has been associated
with conformity, pro-social behavior, and social anxiety.
The Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (FNE) is a 30-item, self-rated
scale used to measure social anxiety. The FNE was developed by David
Watson and Ronald Friend and described in an article published in
the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1969. The FNE
is used widely still and has been translated and validated in other
languages.1

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Because experts recommend that all women and girls over aged 13
should be screened for anxiety disorders as part of routine health
care,2
the FNE is one type of screening that you might encounter during
a visit to your doctor. Such screenings can be helpful for detecting and
treating anxiety early, which is important since anxiety can become
worse over time if left untreated.
How the FNE Is Administered
Each item on the FNE is a statement about some aspect of social
anxiety. When completing the FNE, you must decide whether each
statement is true or false for you personally.
If the choice is difficult, you are asked to choose the answer that is
slightly more applicable based on how you feel at the moment. You are
also asked to answer based on your first reaction and not spend too long
on any item.
Below are some sample true or false statements from the FNE:
• "I rarely worry about seeming foolish to others."
• "I worry about what people will think of me even when I know it doesn’t
make any difference."
• "I become tense and jittery if I know someone is sizing me up."
Information Provided by the FNE
A total score on the FNE is obtained based on your answers to the
true/false questions. Below are the suggested interpretations.
• Low scorers (0–12): Low scorers are typically relaxed in social situations.
• Average scorers (13–20): People who score in this range may be fearful
in some social or evaluative situations.
• High scorers (21–30): High scorers are generally apprehensive about what
other people think of them.
As with any self-report instrument, scores on the FNE need to be
interpreted by a mental health professional and followed up with a
full diagnostic interview for social anxiety disorder (SAD) when
warranted.

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Accuracy
Scores on the FNE correlate significantly with measures of anxiety,
depression, and general distress in people with social anxiety disorder
(SAD).3
This means that the instrument is used for both clinicians and
researchers as a way of screening for SAD and also for tracking the
change in social anxiety symptoms over time.
The Brief Version of the FNE
A brief version of the FNE was devised by Leary (1983) to measure the
same construct as the full instrument. The brief FNE items are as
follows:4
1. I worry about what other people will think of me even when I know it
doesn't make any difference.
2. I am unconcerned even if I know people are forming an unfavorable
impression of me.
3. I am frequently afraid of other people noticing my shortcomings.
4. I rarely worry about what kind of impression I am making on someone.
5. I am afraid others will not approve of me.
6. I am afraid that people will find fault with me.
7. Other people's opinions of me do not bother me.
8. When I am talking to someone, I worry about what they may be thinking
about me.
9. I am usually worried about what kind of impression I make.
10.If I know someone is judging me, it has little effect on me.
11.Sometimes I think I am too concerned about what other people think of
me.
12.I often worry that I will say or do the wrong things.
The brief scale has been shown to have excellent inter-item reliability
and two-week test-retest reliability.5
This means that the items of the
scale all measure the same concept and that scores on the test are stable
over time.

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A Word From Verywell
A scale such as the FNE is only useful as a screening device. If you feel
your symptoms are severe and interfering with your daily life, seek
advice from your doctor or a mental health professional to see whether
you meet the criteria for a diagnosis of SAD and if the treatment might
be helpful for your situation.