Brief Description
The Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) is an assessment tool designed to measure social anxiety, particularly the fear and anxiety associated with social interactions. Developed by Mattick and Clarke in 1998, the items focus on various aspects of social interaction, such as fear of being embarrassed, feeling tense in social settings, and worry about being negatively evaluated by others. The SIAS is widely used in both clinical and research settings to assess the severity of social anxiety and to monitor treatment progress. It is particularly valuable for identifying individuals who may benefit from interventions aimed at reducing social anxiety and improving social functioning.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
20
Age Range for Administration
13+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
No standardized frequency; recommend administering weekly or as clinically indicated.
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The SIAS consists of 20 questions rated on a Likert scale from 0 ("Not at all characteristic of me") to 4 ("Extremely characteristic of me"). The assessment is scored by reverse scoring questions 5, 9, and 11, then summing all items. Score totals can range from 0-80, with higher scores suggesting higher levels of social anxiety. Scores of 36 or greater are clinically significant and suggest probable social anxiety.
Heimberg's 1992 study indicated the following means and standard deviations across three samples: those with social phobia, a community sample, and a sample of undergraduates.
Sample | Mean | Standard Deviation |
Social Phobia | 49.0 | 15.6 |
Community | 19.9 | 14.2 |
Undergraduates | 19.5 | 10.9 |
While from 1992, this is the only known available data to contextualize scores across clinical and community samples.
Blueprint Adjustments
N/A
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 5-7 minutes.
This measure can is complemented by use of the Social Phobia Scale (SPS), which is also available on Blueprint. In fact, using both scales is recommended for patients with generalized social phobia. These measures are complementary in that the SPS focuses on the fear of being observed and evaluated by others, while the SIAS measures anxiety felt during social interactions. They seem to assess distinct yet related constructs, with validity studies confirming the differentiation between anxiety related to social interactions (SIAS) and fears of being scrutinized (SPS).
Other interpretations of SIAS total scores have been identified such that scores of 34-42 suggest social anxiety specific to certain contexts (social phobia) and scores of 43 or higher indicate significant social anxiety across many situations.
The SIAS is meant to enhance clinical decision-making. It should not serve as the sole basis for making a diagnosis.
The SIAS is valid and reliable for measuring social anxiety only. It does not measure other types of anxiety, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Panic Disorder.
Question 14: I have difficulty talking to attractive persons of the opposite sex, may be inappropriate and not suited for LGBTQ+ clients. Consider other social anxiety measures, such as the DSM-5 SAD and Social Phobia Scale, to use with this population.
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
We're here for you!
Do you have follow-up questions? We're here and happy to help!
Send us an email at help@blueprint-health.com or use the help messenger in the lower right corner to speak with our Support team. 💪🏼