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Appearance Anxiety Scale
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About Appearance Anxiety Scale
Scale Name
Appearance Anxiety Scale
Author Details
Karen L. Dion, Kenneth K. Dion, J. Patrick Keelan
Translation Availability
Not Sure
Background/Description
In 1990, a research team led by Karen L. Dion, Kenneth K. Dion, and J. Patrick Keelan developed the Appearance Anxiety Scale (AAS) to address a specific kind of social anxiety: anxiety focused on physical appearance and how others perceive it. This concept, which they termed “appearance anxiety,” is distinct from general social anxiety in that it revolves around the fear of negative evaluation based solely on looks.
The AAS comes in two versions: a comprehensive 30-item version and a more concise 14-item version. Both versions utilize a 5-point Likert scale, where participants rate their level of agreement with statements related to appearance concerns. Examples of statements might include “I feel nervous about aspects of my physical appearance” or “I wish I were better looking.”
The scale’s design aimed to capture two key aspects of appearance anxiety. Firstly, it assesses anxiety related to overall physical appearance, including body shape. Secondly, it focuses on the worry and apprehension surrounding how others might evaluate one’s looks.
The development of the AAS was crucial because it provided researchers and clinicians with a reliable and valid tool for measuring appearance-related anxiety. This allowed for a deeper understanding of how concerns about physical appearance can impact individuals and potentially contribute to other mental health issues.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Introduction: The participant would be provided with a brief introduction explaining the purpose of the questionnaire. This might involve stating that the survey is interested in understanding people’s thoughts and feelings about their appearance.
- Instructions: The participant would receive clear instructions on how to complete the questionnaire. This would likely involve explaining the Likert scale format (typically ranging from 1 – “never” to 5 – “almost always”) and asking them to circle the number that best reflects their level of agreement with each statement.
- Completion: The participant would then independently read through each statement in the AAS and circle the corresponding number on the scale. There wouldn’t be any interaction with an administrator during this stage.
- Collection: Once completed, the participant would return the questionnaire to the researcher or place it in a designated collection box if anonymity is desired.
Reliability and Validity
The Appearance Anxiety Scale (AAS) developed by Dion et al. (1990) has been shown to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring anxiety about physical appearance. Here’s a breakdown of the evidence supporting this:
Internal Consistency: Studies have shown the AAS to have high internal consistency, meaning the items within each version (30-item or 14-item) are well-correlated and measure the same underlying construct (appearance anxiety). This is typically assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, with values above .8 considered good.
- Content Validity: The content of the AAS items directly reflects concerns about appearance and negative evaluation from others. This ensures the scale measures what it’s intended to.
- Construct Validity: Research suggests the AAS scores correlate with other measures of social anxiety and public self-consciousness, supporting the idea that it taps into a specific aspect of social anxiety related to appearance.
- Test-Retest Reliability: Studies have shown that the AAS scores remain relatively stable over time when participants are retested, indicating the scale is consistent in measuring appearance anxiety.
Available Versions
14-Items
30-Items
Reference
Dion, K. L., Dion, K. K., & Keelan, J. P. (1990). Appearance anxiety as a dimension of social-evaluative anxiety: exploring the ugly duckling syndrome. Contemporary Social Psychology.
Denchik, A. (2005). Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale (Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University).
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AAS?
A scale to measure anxiety about physical appearance and how others perceive it.
How many versions are there?
Two: a comprehensive 30-item and a concise 14-item version.
How is it administered?
Self-report questionnaire with participants rating their agreement on a Likert scale.
How is it scored?
Sum of item scores or average of item scores, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety.
Is it reliable and valid?
Yes, it shows good internal consistency, content validity, construct validity, and test-retest reliability.
Which version is better?
The 14-item version is shorter, but the 30-item version might offer more detail.
What are its limitations?
Other factors can influence appearance anxiety and additional measures might be needed.
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