Scale Objective

The main objective of the scale is to have these questions administered weekly to individuals diagnosed with agoraphobia by specialized clinical doctors, in order to assess the severity of their agoraphobia.

Scale Analysis

The agoraphobia measurement scale was developed by Bandelow, B. (1995). The scale [ASS-10] is intended for adults diagnosed with agoraphobia and consists of 10 questions.

Question Scoring

Each of the 10 questions is rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents can choose one of five possible answers using numbers from 0 (never) to 4 (always), with a total possible score of up to 40. The higher the score, the greater the severity.

Statistical Analysis

The clinician rates the severity of each question in a separate section of the questionnaire, sums the scores, and obtains a final result. Then, a general average score is calculated and used to determine the patient’s condition through a 5-point subscale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extreme). This average score is obtained by dividing the total score by the number of questions answered. A high score is considered when only one or two questions have not been answered. If more than 3 questions are unanswered, the result is invalid. The higher the score, the more severe the condition.
Note: If 3 or more questions are unanswered, a result cannot be calculated. If only 1–2 questions are unanswered, a proportional total score will be generated, calculated as follows: partial score × total number of questions ÷ number of questions answered.

Validity and Reliability

High reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, sensitivity to clinical severity, and sensitivity to change have been observed. The internal consistencies of the SCARED-A subscales, which include the agoraphobia severity measurement scale [ASS-10], are moderate to high, with Cronbach’s alpha values > 0.70.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, American Psychiatric Association.
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