Initial evaluation of the Older Adult Social-Evaluative Situations Questionnaire: a measure of social anxiety in older adults

Abstract

Evidence in support of convergent and discriminant validity of the OASES is discussed. Although the results from the present study suggest that this measure may assess anxiety in and avoidance of social situations salient to older adults, future studies are needed to further examine the psychometric properties of the OASES and replicate these results in both clinical and more diverse samples of older adults.

The interpersonal needs questionnaire with a shortened response scale for oral administration with older adults

“…Other scales designed for use with older adults have shortened response scales, including the GDS, which uses a yes/no format, and the GAS and OASES, which use a four-point scale (Gould, Gerolimatos, Ciliberti, Edelstein, & Smith, 2012; Yesavage et al, 1983; Yochim, Mueller, June, & Segal, 2011). The shortened length of the response scale is thought to make the response options more easily understood and recalled by subjects, which is particularly helpful among populations such as older adults that are at risk for cognitive impairment.…”

“…Consistent with several well-established measures designed for use with older adults, including the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS), the Older Adult Social-Evaluative Situations Questionnaire (OASES), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), we shortened the response set in an effort to simplify the measure for use with the geriatric population (Gould, Gerolimatos, Ciliberti, Edelstein, & Smith, 2012; Yesavage et al, 1983; Yochim, Mueller, June, & Segal, 2011). A 3-point scale was used rather than a “yes/no” format because the authors hypothesized that including a third, central response of “somewhat true for me” would allow for a more sensitive measure of subjects’ experiences and provide a further degree of information regarding the intensity of their feelings than a 2-point scale, yet was unlikely to burden subjects with a confusing array of choices.…”

Positive Affect and Social Anxiety Across the Lifespan: An Investigation of Age as a Moderator

“…As we discussed above, it is questionable whether the existing measures capture social anxiety symptoms experienced by older adults as accurately as in their younger counterparts (e.g., Gould, Gerolimatos, Ciliberti, Edelstein, & Smith, 2012). That being said, the fact that the interaction was still significant when the apparently context-irrelevant S-SIAS items were used to assess social anxiety suggests that age does indeed moderate the relationship between positive affect and social anxiety as hypothesized.…”

“…Recent research on the assessment of social anxiety across the lifespan has brought to light potential limitations to traditional measures of the disorder (e.g., Gould, Gerolimatos, Ciliberti, Edelstein, & Smith, 2012; Gretarsdottir, Woodruff-Borden, Meeks, & Depp, 2004; Therrien & Hunsley, 2012). Specifically, Gould and colleagues (2012) question whether existing measures capture the range and content of anxiety-provoking situations encountered by older adults, given that many anxiety assessment measures were often created for young or middle-aged adults, with few, if any, older adults included in their development.…”

“…Specifically, Gould and colleagues (2012) question whether existing measures capture the range and content of anxiety-provoking situations encountered by older adults, given that many anxiety assessment measures were often created for young or middle-aged adults, with few, if any, older adults included in their development.…”