Multidimensional AIDS Anxiety Questionnaire (MAAQ)
A multidimensional self-report measure designed to assess different types of anxiety experienced in relation to HIV/AIDS.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Multidimensional AIDS Anxiety Questionnaire (MAAQ) was developed by William E. Snell, Jr. & Phillip D. Finney (1989). It is designed to measure AIDS-related 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 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Anxiety: 0 – 1
- Moderate Anxiety: 2 – 3
- High Anxiety: 4 – 4
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach alphas ranging from .85 to .94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.