Name two common assessment tools for social anxiety.

Name two common assessment tools for social anxiety.

• A. GAD-7 and PHQ-9
• B. LSAS (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale) and SPIN (Social Phobia Inventory)
• C. BDI and HAM-D
• D. MMPI-2 and NEO-PI-R

Answer: (B)

Assessing social anxiety relies on tools specifically designed to measure fear and avoidance in social or performance situations. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) is a widely used scale that asks about fear and avoidance across a broad set of social scenarios, producing a severity score that helps guide diagnosis and track change over time. The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) is a brief self-report measure that targets the main features of social anxiety—fear in social situations, avoidance, and physiological symptoms—making it practical for quick screening and monitoring. These instruments are commonly used in both clinical practice and research because they focus on the specific symptoms of social anxiety. Other well-known measures target broader constructs. General anxiety or mood screens like the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 assess general anxiety and depression rather than social-specific symptoms. Depression scales such as the BDI or HAM-D, and broad personality inventories like the MMPI-2 and NEO-PI-R, do not focus on social anxiety specifically.

Assessing social anxiety relies on tools specifically designed to measure fear and avoidance in social or performance situations. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) is a widely used scale that asks about fear and avoidance across a broad set of social scenarios, producing a severity score that helps guide diagnosis and track change over time. The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) is a brief self-report measure that targets the main features of social anxiety—fear in social situations, avoidance, and physiological symptoms—making it practical for quick screening and monitoring. These instruments are commonly used in both clinical practice and research because they focus on the specific symptoms of social anxiety.

Other well-known measures target broader constructs. General anxiety or mood screens like the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 assess general anxiety and depression rather than social-specific symptoms. Depression scales such as the BDI or HAM-D, and broad personality inventories like the MMPI-2 and NEO-PI-R, do not focus on social anxiety specifically.