Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ)
Measures the frequency of catastrophic thoughts related to anxiety and panic.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ) was developed by Dianne L. Chambless, G. Craig Caputo, Priscilla Bright, and Richard Gallagher (1984). It is designed to measure Agoraphobic Cognitions / Fear of Fear. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Physical Concerns, Social/Cognitive Concerns.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Concerns | 1,2,3,4,5,7,9,11,15,16,17,18 | 12 |
| Social/Cognitive Concerns | 6,8,10,12,13,14 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha ranges from 0.80 to 0.84.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.