The Entrapment Scale (ES)
Measures the individual's desire to escape from stressful situations (external entrapment) or internal thoughts and feelings (internal entrapment) when escape is perceived as blocked.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The The Entrapment Scale (ES) was developed by Paul Gilbert & Steven Allan (1998). It is designed to measure Entrapment. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: External Entrapment, Internal Entrapment.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| External Entrapment | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 | 10 |
| Internal Entrapment | 11,12,13,14,15,16 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not at all like me, 1 = A little bit like me, 2 = Moderately like me, 3 = Quite a bit like me, 4 = Extremely like me.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 64. Interpretation guidelines:
- Total score range (higher scores indicate greater entrapment): 0 – 64
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency (typically Cronbach's alpha > .85 for both subscales).
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.