| Abstract: | Anxiety sensitivity (fear of anxiety) is thought to play an important role in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. One of the most widely used measures of anxiety sensitivity is the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). The originators of this scale regarded it as a measure of a unidimensional construct (S. Reiss et al, 1986). Recent investigations have challenged this claim, and several 4-factor solutions have been proposed. If the dimension(s) of this scale are to guide theory and research, then it is necessary to determine the most stable factor structure. ASI responses were obtained from 142 spider-phobic college students and 327 psychiatric patients presenting with anxiety or stress-related (psychophysiological) disorders. The results of a series of confirmatory analyses indicated that the ASI is best regarded as unifactorial. The implications for the conceptualization of anxiety sensitivity are considered, and directions for further investigation are set out. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
