Scale-Description

The Social Phobia Weekly Summary Scale (SPWSS-6) is a brief psychometric scale designed to assess the severity and impact of social phobia (social anxiety) on a weekly basis. It consists of 6 questions that focus on various aspects of social phobia symptoms, including the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors associated with social anxiety.

The scale specifically examines:

The frequency and intensity of social fears.

The level of avoidance of social situations.

The impact of social phobia on the individual’s functionality and quality of life.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data collected from the SPWSS-6 is used to assess the progression and intensity of social phobia over short periods, such as weekly intervals. The main statistical analyses include:

Reliability analysis to check the internal consistency of the scale, usually through calculating Cronbach’s alpha.

Statistical analysis to evaluate the levels of social anxiety and detect any changes on a weekly basis.

Correlation with other social anxiety measurement scales to examine the validity of the SPWSS-6.

The data can be used in clinical and research studies to monitor patient progress, evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, or understand the impact of social phobia on daily life.

Purpose

The goal of the SPWSS-6 is to provide a simple and reliable tool for the weekly monitoring of social phobia symptoms. Specifically, the scale:

Helps track changes in the intensity of social anxiety during therapeutic interventions.

Allows clinicians to evaluate patients’ responses to therapeutic treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or medication.

Facilitates understanding of how social phobia affects an individual’s daily functionality and quality of life.

Calibration

The calibration of the SPWSS-6 includes:

Reliability analysis to confirm the stability and internal consistency of responses across different populations.

Confirmatory factor analysis to ensure the validity of the measurements and the structure of the scale.

Cross-validation in different groups of individuals with social phobia to ensure that the scale is generalizable and reliable.

Bibliography

Heimberg, R. G., Horner, K. J., Juster, H. R., Safren, S. A., Brown, E. J., & Schneier, F. R. (1999). Psychometric properties of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Psychological Medicine, 29(1), 199-212.

Liebowitz, M. R. (1987). Social phobia. Modern Problems of Pharmacopsychiatry, 22, 141-173.

Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. G. Heimberg, M. R. Liebowitz, D. A. Hope, & F. R. Schneier (Eds.), Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment, 69-93.