Panic and Agoraphobia Scale
Encyclopedia
The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS) is a rating scale developed for measuring severity of agoraphobia
with or without panic attacks
. The PAS scale contains 13 questions (items) based on a five point Litkert scale (0 to 4). Two or three items contribute each of five subscales, which cover the spectrum of agoraphobia symptom
clusters: panic attacks, agoraphobic avoidance, anticipatory anxiety
, disability
and worries about health. The scale structure is compatible with DSM-IV and ICD-10 classifications. The total of the score of scale indicates the severity of the disorder. It’s available in both self-rated and clinician-rated versions. The PAS scale is used for monitoring the efficacy of both medication and psychotherapy treatments of agoraphobia. It also can be used for screening of the disorder. In addition to the English version, scale’s translations are available in many languages such as French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian and others.
The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale was shown to be an effective instrument to measure agoraphobia and panic attacks severity and monitoring treatment results
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions...
with or without panic attacks
Panic attack
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
. The PAS scale contains 13 questions (items) based on a five point Litkert scale (0 to 4). Two or three items contribute each of five subscales, which cover the spectrum of agoraphobia symptom
Symptom
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality...
clusters: panic attacks, agoraphobic avoidance, anticipatory anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
, disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
and worries about health. The scale structure is compatible with DSM-IV and ICD-10 classifications. The total of the score of scale indicates the severity of the disorder. It’s available in both self-rated and clinician-rated versions. The PAS scale is used for monitoring the efficacy of both medication and psychotherapy treatments of agoraphobia. It also can be used for screening of the disorder. In addition to the English version, scale’s translations are available in many languages such as French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian and others.
The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale was shown to be an effective instrument to measure agoraphobia and panic attacks severity and monitoring treatment results