Multidimensional AIDS Anxiety Questionnaire – MAAQ
A multidimensional self-report instrument designed to measure anxiety, worry, and fear associated with the threat of AIDS across physiological, cognitive, and behavioral domains.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Multidimensional AIDS Anxiety Questionnaire – MAAQ was developed by William E. Snell, Jr., Paul D. Finney, & L. Godwin (1991). It is designed to measure AIDS Anxiety. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 50 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Physiological Arousal, Fear of AIDS, Sexual Inhibition, Cognitive Worry, Discussion Inhibition, Anxiety about AIDS Exposure.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Physiological Arousal | 13,14,23,27,28,29,31,33,34,38,39,43,44,46,47,48 | 16 |
| Fear of AIDS | 5,6,10,15,16,21 | 6 |
| Sexual Inhibition | 18,30,35,37,40,42 | 6 |
| Cognitive Worry | 1,3,4,8,9 | 5 |
| Discussion Inhibition | 2,7,12,19,24 | 5 |
| Anxiety about AIDS Exposure | 20,49,50 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not at all characteristic of me, 1 = Slightly characteristic of me, 2 = Somewhat characteristic of me, 3 = Moderately characteristic of me, 4 = Very characteristic of me.
The scale includes 5 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 200. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low AIDS Anxiety: 0 – 50
- Mild AIDS Anxiety: 51 – 100
- Moderate AIDS Anxiety: 101 – 150
- Severe AIDS Anxiety: 151 – 200
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified in source text.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.