State-Trait Anxiety Inventory – STAI-Y
Measures transient state anxiety (current feelings of apprehension and tension) and stable trait anxiety (general propensity to experience anxiety).
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory – STAI-Y was developed by Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., Lushene, R., Vagg, P. R., & Jacobs, G. A. (1983). It is designed to measure State and Trait Anxiety. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 40 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: State Anxiety, Trait Anxiety.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| State Anxiety | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 | 20 |
| Trait Anxiety | 21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40 | 20 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all, 2 = Somewhat, 3 = Moderately so, 4 = Very much so.
The scale includes 19 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 20 to 80. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Anxiety: 20 – 37
- Moderate Anxiety: 38 – 44
- High Anxiety: 45 – 80
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.86 – 0.95.
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.