Reliability and Validity of a Computerised Cognitive Test of Contamination in Normal People

Two significant feelings, namely disgust, and fear of contamination, are commonly found in healthy people. Little is known about which assessments could simultaneously assess these two constructs. This paper detailed how a computerised measure of disgust and fear of contamination toward disease, dirt/pollution, and hazardous chemicals was developed and validated. Experts validated the creation of this digital material, followed by a study involving 224 healthy participants. A psychometric analysis with a Cronbach alpha of 0.85 indicated strong internal consistency. Three-factor order variables, including human waste, toilet, and pest, were found in exploratory factor analysis and confirmed with confirmatory factor analysis. Moderate loadings on the fear contamination and disgust latent constructs supported the confirmation of convergent validity. The findings show that this newly developed computerised questionnaire is a multidimensional construct with excellent internal consistency and that it is valid to assess fear of contamination and disgust.