Morphing Fear Questionnaire (MFQ)
What it is
The Morphing Fear Questionnaire (MFQ) is a self-report measure designed to assess fears and beliefs related to morphing — a type of mental contamination in which an individual fears that contact with another person or object may cause them to take on undesirable characteristics of that person or thing, leading to a perceived change in their identity or sense of self.
Morphing fears are associated with OCD, particularly contamination-based subtypes, and with mental contamination more broadly. The construct is distinct from physical contamination fears and has specific implications for formulation and treatment in CBT for OCD.
How is it used
- Suitable for adults aged 18 and over
- Used to assess the presence and severity of morphing-related fears and beliefs
- Particularly relevant when working with OCD, mental contamination, and identity-related fears
- Can support formulation by distinguishing morphing fears from other contamination concerns
- Useful alongside other OCD measures (e.g. OCI-R) to understand the specific nature of contamination difficulties
What do the scores mean?
Higher scores indicate greater endorsement of morphing-related fears and beliefs. There are no widely established clinical cut-off thresholds — the MFQ is primarily used to identify the presence and relative severity of morphing fears, and to track change during treatment targeting this specific fear type.
Results should always be interpreted alongside clinical interview and broader assessment.
Developer
The Morphing Fear Questionnaire was developed by Paul Rachman and colleagues as part of their work on mental contamination and OCD.
References:
Rachman, S. (2006). Fear of contamination: Assessment and treatment. Oxford University Press.
Elliott, C. M., & Radomsky, A. S. (2009). Analyses of mental contamination: Part II, Individual differences. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47(12), 1004–1011.