Introduction
The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) is a widely used, self-reported measure of anxiety symptoms. It was created by Aaron T. Beck and his colleagues in 1988, and is designed to measure the severity of an individual’s anxiety symptoms. It is composed of 21 items, each item representing a symptom of anxiety. It has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of anxiety in various contexts.
Method
The BAI is a self-report instrument that is typically administered in a clinical setting. It consists of 21 items that ask about the severity of anxiety-related symptoms in the past week. Each item is rated on a four-point scale, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety symptoms. The items are divided into two subscales, one measuring physical symptoms and the other measuring cognitive symptoms. The total score is calculated by summing the ratings of all 21 items.
Results
Studies have shown that the BAI is a reliable and valid measure of anxiety. It has good internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.92. Validity studies have also found that the BAI is correlated with other measures of anxiety, such as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale.
Conclusion
The BAI is a reliable and valid measure of anxiety symptoms. It is a quick and easy way to assess the severity of an individual’s anxiety symptoms in a clinical setting.
References
Beck, A. T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R. A. (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56(6), 893-897.
Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Hamilton, M. (1959). The assessment of anxiety states by rating. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 32(1), 50-55.