Development of a Brief Version of the Social Phobia Inventory Using Item Response Theory: The Mini-SPIN-R

• Published in: Behavior therapy 2013-12, Vol.44 (4), p.651-661
• Main Authors: Aderka, Idan M, Pollack, Mark H, Simon, Naomi M, Smits, Jasper A.J, Van Ameringen, Michael, Stein, Murray B, Hofmann, Stefan G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; assessment; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Emotional disorders; Fear & phobias; Female; Humans; Item response theory; Male; Medical sciences; Medical screening; Mental health care; Mental health services; Middle Aged; Phobia; Phobic Disorders - diagnosis; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometric properties; Psychometrics - methods; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quantitative psychology; Selfreport; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity; Short forms; Social anxiety; social anxiety disorder; Social phobia; social phobia inventory; Symptoms; Treatments
• ISSN: 0005-7894; 1878-1888
• DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2013.04.011

Abstract The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) is a widely used measure in mental health settings and a 3-item version (mini-SPIN) has been developed as a screening instrument for social anxiety disorder. In the present study, we examined the psychometric properties of the SPIN and developed a brief version (mini-SPIN-R) designed to assess social anxiety severity using item response theory. Our sample included 569 individuals with social anxiety disorder who participated in 2 clinical trials and filled out a battery of self-report measures. Using a nonparametric kernel smoothing method we identified the most sensitive items of the SPIN. These 3 items comprised the mini-SPIN-R, which was found to have greater internal consistency, and to capture a greater range of symptoms compared to the mini-SPIN. The mini-SPIN-R evidenced superior convergent validity compared to the mini-SPIN and both measures had similar divergent validity. Thus, the mini-SPIN-R is a promising brief measure of social anxiety severity.