PRACTICAL-3
SINHA’S COMPREHENSIVE ANXIETY TEST: -
AIM: To assess the level of anxiety of the subject by using Sinha's Comprehensive Anxiety
Test by AKP Sinha and LNK Sinha.
INTRODUCTION:
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. The American Psychological
Association (APA) defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension,
worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”
Three kinds of anxiety:
1. State anxietv - 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.
There are several approaches to study anxiety.
• Psychodynamic approach
• Karen Horney's Basic anxiety
• Behavioural approach
Psvchodvnamic Approach
Freud was one of the persons who emphasized on the study of anxiety. He believed that
neurotic anxiety was the result of a conflict between the id, ego and super ego.
• The id consists of all biological/primitive impressions based on pleasure principle.
• The ego takes into account the external reality in the shape of instinctive sexual and
aggressive urges and the morality related to it. Ego bridges the gap between id and the
super ego. Anxiety in this theory is an unpleasant feeling of tension or worry that is
experienced by the person.
• Super ego is based on moral principle and focuses on the right/wrong as per the
society.
Karen Horney's Basic Anxiety
Karen Horney was one of the few women psychologists in the early psychoanalytic
movement and disagreed with Freud strongly over his views on differences between men and
women. According to her, basic anxiety could result from a variety of things including direct
or indirect domination, indifference, erratic behaviour, lack of respect for the child's
individual needs, hostile atmosphere at home and so on.
Behavioural Approach
This approach believes in ways in which anxiety becomes associated with observation and
learning by modelling.
Anxiety is a normal and often healthy emotion. However, when a person regularly feels
disproportionate levels of anxiety, it might become a medical disorder.
TYPES OF ANXIETY DISORDERS:
1. Generalised Anxiety Disorder: Prolonged, vague, unexplained, and intense fears that have
no objet accompanied by hypervigilance and motor tension.
2. Panic Disorder: Frequent anxiety attacks characterized by feelings of intense terror and
dread; unpredictable panic attacks along with physiological symptoms as breathlessness,
palpitations, trembling dizziness and a sense of losing control of even dying.
3. Phobias: Irrational fears related to specific objects, interactions in social situations and
unfamiliar situations.
4. obsessive compulsive disorder: Being preoccupied with certain thoughts that are viewed by
person to be embarrassing or shameful and being unable to check the impulse to repeatedly
carry out certain acts like checking, washing, counting etc.
5. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: Recurrent dreams , flashbacks, impaired concentration,
and emotional numbing followed by a traumatic or stressful event like a natural
disaster,serious accidents etc.
The causes of anxiety disorders are complicated. Many might occur at once, some may lead
to others, and some might not lead to an anxiety disorder unless another is present. Possible
causes include:
• environmental stressors, such as difficulties at work, relationship problems, or family issues
• genetics, as people who have family members with an anxiety disorder are more likely to
experience one themselves
• medical factors, such as the symptoms of a different disease, the effects of a medication, or
the stress of an intensive surgery or prolonged recovery
• brain chemistry, as psychologists define many anxiety disorders as misalignments of
hormones and electrical signals in the brain
• withdrawal from an illicit substance, the effects of which might intensify the impact of other
possible causes
DESCRIPTION OF TEST:
Sinha’s Comprehensive Anxiety Test was developed by A.K.P Sinha and L.N.K Sinha in
1971. 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: From manual
VALIDITY: From manual
METHOD: -
SUBJECT PRELIMINARY:
NAME
GENDER:
AGE:
EDUCATION:
OCCUPATION:
MATERIAL REQUIRED: Paper, pen or pencil, notepad, SCAT questionnaire, and manual
RAPPORT FORMATIOM:
The subject was made to sit comfortably. A friendly conversation was made to put the subject
at ease. Once it is ensured that subject is comfortable then the test was introduced. The
instructions were given to the subject. Subject was assured that her result would be kept
confidential. Subject’s query was addressed. Then the administration was stared.
INSTRUCTIONS: The following instructions were given:
• In each item there are two options, 'yes' or 'no'
• Do not leave any question and try to complete as soon as possible.
• There are no right or wrong answers
• Give the first natural answer as it comes to you. When in doubt, give the best possible
answer.
• Read the questions carefully and put a 'x' for whichever option suits you the best.
• There is no time limit for this test.
PRECAUTIONS:
1. Optimal conditions for testing were ensured before the test begun
2. Time of start and finish were noted
3. The tester should ensure that the subject is not familiar with the test.
4. Subject should be told that there is no correct answer.
5. Subject should not skip any item
6. Subject should be assured of confidentiality of test results.
TEST ADMINISTRATION:
The subject was called to the psychology lab. After the rapport was established, instructions
were given and the test material was provided to her. After she completed the test, her answer
sheet was taken for scoring.
INTROSPECTIVE REPORT: - As given by the subject
OBSERVATION REPORT: - Your observation of the subject
SCORING: - From manual
RESULTS:
RESULT TABLE
Pages 2 3 4
Raw Score
Total Score
Percentile
Interpretation
INTERPREATION:
The aim of the test was to assess the anxiety level of the individual using Sinha's
Comprehensive Anxiety Test given by A.K.P Sinha and L.N.K Sinha.
The raw score obtained by the subject is ____ and the percentile corresponding to the same is
____th , that falls under _____________________(For instance: 'Extremely High Anxiety').
People who experience extreme anxiety usually experience a lot of distress. They can manage
the same using stress management techniques ( e.g. relaxation techniques reduce symptoms
of stress and calm both the body and the mind, cognitive behavioural techniques replace
negative and irrational thoughts with positive and rational ones, etc.). (WRITE
ACCORDING TO YOUR RESULTS)
CONCLUSION:
REFERENCES:
• SCAT Manual,
• Ncert textbook
