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Developing a Brief Version of the Social Thoughts and Beliefs Scale (STABS) Using Item Response Theory

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Abstract

Cognitions play a central role in the maintenance of social anxiety disorder (SAD). The aim of the present study was to develop a brief version of the social thoughts and beliefs scale (STABS) that can be used in clinical trials and experience sampling studies in which multiple repeated measures (e.g., weekly or daily measurements) are utilized. Our sample (n = 361) included both individuals diagnosed with SAD (n = 108) and non-anxious controls (n = 253). We used item response theory analyses to examine items of the STABS and kept only items which differentiated between 4 levels of SAD-related cognitions between the 5th and 95th percentiles of scores. This strategy resulted in a brief, seven-item scale—the mini-STABS. We then compared the mini-STABS with the full-length, 21-item STABS, as well as examined convergent and divergent validity for the brief measure. Results indicated that the mini-STABS was highly correlated with the 21-item STABS, and demonstrated similar patterns of associations with convergent and divergent measures compared to the 21-item STABS. These findings suggest that the mini-STABS is a psychometrically sound brief version of the STABS that provides similar information using fewer items. Implications for assessment of SAD are discussed.

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Notes

  1. No differences in clinical and demographic measures were found between participants with SAD from both settings.

  2. Note that the parameter b1 corresponds to the response of 2. This is because 100% of participants respond 1 or more, thus obviating the need for a parameter for the response 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel

    Itamar Stein, Maya Asher, Shahaf Erez, Tomer Shechner & Idan M. Aderka

  2. Anxiety Disorders and Behavior Therapy Unit, Outpatient Department, Geha Mental Health Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel

    Sofi Marom & Haggai Hermesh

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  1. Itamar Stein
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  2. Maya Asher
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  3. Shahaf Erez
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  4. Tomer Shechner
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  5. Sofi Marom
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  6. Haggai Hermesh
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  7. Idan M. Aderka
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Correspondence to Idan M. Aderka.

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Authors Itamar Stein, Maya Asher, Shahaf Erez, Tomer Shechner, Sofi Marom, Haggai Hermesh and Idan M. Aderka declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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All procedures performed in the present study received the approval of the University of Haifa’s IRB and are consistent with APA ethical guidelines. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Appendix

Appendix

Social Thoughts and Beliefs Scale

This is a list of common thoughts and beliefs. Using the scale below, rate how characteristic each of these statements is of your thinking when you are in a social situation or when you are anticipating a social situation.

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Stein, I., Asher, M., Erez, S. et al. Developing a Brief Version of the Social Thoughts and Beliefs Scale (STABS) Using Item Response Theory. Cogn Ther Res 43, 792–801 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-019-10000-7

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