Anxiety Sensitivity Index - Revised

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The Anxiety Sensitivity Index Revised(ASI-R),, is a measure of the basic dimensions and hierarchic structure of anxiety sensitivity. It includes 36 questions to be answered using a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 represents strong disagreement and 5 represents strong agreement. The middle of the scale signifies neither agreement nor disagreement. The ASI-R contains 6 subscales assessing the following domains:

1. fear of cardiovascular symptoms
2. fear of respiratory symptoms
3. fear of gastrointestinal symptoms
4. fear of publicly observable anxiety reactions
5. fear of dissociative and neurological symptoms
6. fear of cognitive dyscontrol

The subscales assess each of the domains of anxiety sensitivity. The hierarchy of these domains has been demonstrated using factor analysis. This hierarchy is important because it supports the idea that anxiety sensitivity can be deconstructed into simpler, independent factors that each contribute to the overall phenomenon of anxiety sensitivity. Fear of gastrointestinal symptoms and fear of dissociative and neurological symptoms failed to form distinct factors.

Potential Limitations

As of 1999, the limitations of the ASI-R questionnaire were :

1. It is unknown whether or not the ASI-R scale is appropriate for comparing clinical and nonclinical populations.
2. Test-retest reliability of the ASI-R and its factors.

See also

• Anxiety assessment
• Anxiety measures