Fear of Failure as Motivation: Testing Domain-Specific Consistency and Predictive Validity Across Academic and Sport Contexts

Success in academics and sports is often driven by high standards, instilling a fear of failure. Traditionally viewed as debilitating, recent studies suggest it can also motivate individuals. This study (N = 305) used a dual-domain approach to explore how fear of failure motivates goal progress and satisfaction in academic and sports contexts. Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), we validated the two-factor structure of the Fear of Failure as Motivation Scale (FOFAMS), with strong model fit observed across both domains. Path analyses using observed composite scores revealed significant within-domain associations between fear of failure as motivation and both goal progress and satisfaction. These effects remained robust even when controlling for general fear of failure, supporting the incremental validity of FOFAMS. Cross-domain effects were negligible, suggesting that the motivational function of fear of failure is domain-specific. These findings support the validity of the FOFAMS and underscore the importance of assessing fear of failure within specific performance contexts to better understand its adaptive potential.