SINHA’S COMPREHENSIVE
ANXIETY TEST(SCAT)
Objective
To assess the anxiety level of the subject using Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test(SCAT)
Basic concept
Anxiety is increased arousal accompanied by feeling of fear and apprehension. If such
feelings persist for a long period of time, they can produce harmful effect. It is a general
uneasiness of ominous feeling that may get associated with anything specific and persist for
a month or longer
Anxiety is defined as a diffuse, vague, very unpleasant feeling of fear and apprehension
Generalized anxiety disorder consists of prolonged, vague, unexplained and intense fears
that are not attached to any particular object
In Freudian theory, anxiety is unpleasant feeling of tension experienced by individuals in
reaction to unacceptable wishes or impulses. According to Freud, there are three types of
anxieties:
o Neurotic: Which is due to Id, Ego conflict
o Moral: Due to the conflict of Id and Super ego
o Objective anxiety: Due to real external threat
History/Description
A.K.P. Sinha and L.N.K. Sinha found that existing anxiety test does not cover certain facts of
anxiety. There also was a good deal of agreement and confusion concerning concepts of
anxiety. This test has been designed to elicit self-rating on items descriptive of anxiety
reactions in the following areas:
1. Health apprehension and injury
2. Area of ambition (success or failure in work)
3. Family anxiety
4. Anxiety involving love and friendship
5. Worries regarding future
6. Worries regarding civilization, wars, virtues
7. Guilt and share
8. Physiological and physical manifestations
9. Psychological aspects
The test consists of 90 Yes/No type questions. Though there is no time limit, the
administration time for the test is approximately 15-20 minutes.
Procedure
Preliminary information
Name:
Age:
Sex:
Class/Educational qualification:
Place of conduction:
Rapport formation
Questionnaire, Manual, pen, pencil and eraser
Rapport formation
The subject was made to feel at ease with the lab conditions so he/she could carry out the
experiment without hesitation. He/she was asked if he they were ready for the test to begin. After
an affirmative response, the following instructions were given
Instructions
This is a SCAT booklet consisting of 6 pages with some statements concerned with your behavior and
temperament. Against each question there are two options ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. You have to read the
question and put your views by making a tick on either Yes or No.
Precautions
The room should be well lit and well ventilated.
The seating arrangement should be comfortable.
The instruction should be made clear to the subject.
No item should be left unanswered.
Proper rapport should be established before starting the test.
It should be made sure that only one answer has been marked for each question.
Test administration
The SCAT booklet was given to the subject which included questions of behavior and
temperament with options ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.
The subject was asked to put his views by making a tick on either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.
The answers given by the subject were recorded after the subject completed the test, the
questionnaire was taken for scoring.
Verbal report
The test was started after the subject felt comfortable and rapport was formed. According to the
subject, the test was an introspective one.
Behavioral report
I observed that the subject participated in the experiment willingly. He/she was concentrating while
attempting the questions and finished the test in time.
Introspective report
“The test was really good, the questions involved good aspects, it was very interesting”, said the
subject about the experiment.
Scoring
The inventory can be scored accurately by hand and no scoring key or stencil is provided so far. For
any response indicated as ‘Yes’, the testee should be awarded the score of one, and zero for ‘No’.
The sum of all positive or yes responses would be the total anxiety score of the individual.
Pages 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Raw scores
Percentile:
Category: Between and anxiety level
Data interpretation: The subject was found to have anxiety between and
anxiety level. The percentile was between and . But as the percentile is between
and so far but in some situations he/she may need some kind of motivation
for arousal. He/she may be indifferent to some situations that would otherwise be anxiety-
provoking.
Conclusion
My subject has obtained a percentile score of corresponding to level of anxiety,
which implies that he has anxiety level.
References
Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test manual
NCERT textbook – Class XII Psychology
