PRACTICAL 3

SINHA’S COMPREHENSIVE ANXIETY TEST (SCAT)

AIM: To assess the level of anxiety of the subject by using Sinha`s

Comprehensive Anxiety Test by A.K.P Sinha and L.N.K Sinha.

BASIC CONCEPTS:

Anxiety is a vague, objectless fear or an uneasy feeling. It is an apprehensive

feeling which is typically accompanied by a variety of psychological factors,
including increase in heart rate, drying up of mouth, muscular tension and rapid
breathing.

Three kinds of anxiety

1. State anxiety – It describes the experience of unpleasant feelings when

confronted with specific situations, demands or a particular object or
event. It arises when the person makes a mental assessment of some type
of threat. When the object or situation that is perceived as threatening
goes away, the person no longer experiences anxiety. Thus, it’s a
temporary condition in response to some perceived threat.

2. Trait Anxiety – It arises in response to a perceived threat but it differs

in its intensity, duration and the range of situations in which it occurs. It
refers to the difference between people in terms of their tendency to
experience state anxiety in response to the anticipation of a threat. People
with a high level of trait anxiety experience more intense degrees of state
anxiety to specific situations than most people do not and experience
anxiety toward a broader range of situations or objects than most people.

3. Somatic anxiety– It is the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as

butterflies in the stomach. It is commonly contrasted with cognitive
anxiety, which is the mental manifestations of anxiety or the specific
thought processes that occur during anxiety, such as concern or worry.

Types of Anxiety disorders (Write from the NCERT textbook)

Causes of Anxiety (Write from the Internet)

Symptoms of Anxiety (Write from the Internet)

METHODOLOGY

Preliminary Information

Name: ABC

Age: _____ years

Class:

Gender:

Place of conduction: Psychology Lab

Materials Required

Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test (SCAT) manual, SCAT response sheet,

pencil and eraser.

Description of the Test-

Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test (SCAT) is developed by A.K.P Sinha and

L.N.K Sinha. The test consists of 90 items which are to be answered in five
categories on the basis of score obtained on the extremely high anxiety to
extremely low anxiety.

RELIABILITY

The coefficient of reliability was determined by using the following methods:

Test-Retest Method: (N=100) was employed to determine the temporal stability

of the test. The product moment correlation between the test and retest score
was 0.85.The internal consistency reliability was ascertained by adopting odd-
even procedure.

Spearman Brown Formula: (N=100) was employed. The reliability shown in

Spearman Brown formula is 0.92. Both the values ensure a high reliability of
the test.

VALIDITY

The coefficient of validity was determined by computing the coefficient

between scores on Comprehensive Anxiety Test and on Taylor’s Manifest
Anxiety Scale. It was 0.62.
NORMS : As per the Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test (SCAT) manual.

PROCEDURE

Rapport Formation

Rapport was established between the subject and the tester, prior to the test so
that subject could feel comfortable and at ease. There was proper lighting and
no distracting sounds. Proper instructions were given and all doubts were
resolved.

Instructions

■ The instructions mentioned on the form should be clear.

■ There is no fixed time limit. However, usually the subject takes 15-20
minutes.
■ It should be emphasized that there is no right or wrong response.
■ It should be responded in either Yes or No form. No statement should be left
out.
■ It is undesirable to tell the subject about the aim of the test.

Precautions

1. The room should be well lit and well ventilated.

2. There should not be any noise in the room.

3. The seating arrangement should be comfortable.

4. There is no time limit.

5. Instructions should be made clear to the subject.

6. No item should be left unanswered.

7. Proper rapport should be established before starting the practical.

8. It should be made sure that only one answer has been marked for each
question.

9. It should be made clear to the subject that their answers must be marked by
tick mark inside the boxes.
Test Administration

The subject was called to the laboratory and rapport was established with the
subject. Instructions were given and test material was provided and all the
doubts were resolved. After completion of the test, the response sheet was
collected for scoring.

Introspective/Verbal Report

“ The test was quite insightful and fun to do. The questions in the test were
really interesting. I enjoyed the test.”

[You can write the introspective report given by your subject]

Behavioural Report

The subject was comfortable and confident while taking the test. The subject
seemed to be interested and motivated during the test.

Scoring

The test consists of 90 items. The maximum possible score of this test is 90 and
minimum possible scores is zero. Scoring can be done by hand. Each item of the
test is scored 1(one) for positive response (YES) and 0 (zero) for negative
response (NO). The sum of all positive or Yes responses would be the total
anxiety score of the subject.

RESULT TABLE

Pages 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total Percentiles Level of

Anxiety

Raw
Score

NOTE: You need to make the result table in front of the interpretation.

INTERPRETATION
The aim of the practical was to assess the level of anxiety of the subject by
using Sinha`s Comprehensive Anxiety Test by A.K.P Sinha and L.N.K Sinha.
Anxiety is a vague, objectless fear or an uneasy feeling. It is an apprehensive
feeling which is typically accompanied by a variety of psychological factors,
including increase in heart rate, drying up of mouth, muscular tension and rapid
breathing.

Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test (SCAT) is developed by A.K.P Sinha and

L.N.K Sinha. The test consists of 90 items which are to be answered in five
categories on the basis of score obtained on the extremely high anxiety to
extremely low anxiety.

The subject’s raw score was ______ and the percentile was _______ . The
percentile ______ indicates __________ level of anxiety. It means that the
subject is ______________________________________________________.

Note: Explain the symptoms of anxiety in detail depending upon the level of
anxiety present in the subject. Also, explain the strategies or treatment plan
for dealing with the anxiety of the subject.

CONCLUSION

The subject has scored percentile ________ which indicates that the subject has
_______________ level of anxiety.

REFERENCES

■ Sinha, A. K. P. & Sinha, L. N. K. (1971), Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety

Test.National Psychological Corporation 4/230, KacheriGhat, Agra,
282004.
■ Ncert textbook, Psychology Class XII