Self-Focused Attention Scale – Chinese Version

Description

Self-focus generally refers to directing attention resources toward one’s own thoughts and emotions rather than to individual phenomena in the external environment. It is an awareness of internal information related to the self (Self-awareness), distinct from awareness gained through the senses regarding external information. The classification of self-focus is based on both trait theory and state theory. Finnigan and others (1975) classified self-focus from the perspective of trait theory: distinguishing individuals based on stable personality dimensions in comparing themselves to standards after self-focus occurs. This can be categorized as inward self-focus (Private Self-Consciousness) which concerns one’s internal thoughts, and outward self-focus (Public Self-Consciousness) which focuses on how others perceive oneself. Individuals with inward self-focus traits tend to be introspective, concerned with their internal states, and aware of the discrepancies between their realities and personal standards. In contrast, individuals with outward self-focus traits pay attention to others’ opinions and are mindful of societal norms.

State theory, proposed by the founders of self-awareness theory, Duval and Wicklund, suggests that at any given moment, attention is either directed towards oneself or away from oneself, with these two directions being mutually exclusive but capable of switching. Attention directed towards oneself is termed objective self-awareness (Objective Self-Awareness), where individuals regard themselves as the target of attention, reflecting on their personality traits, attitudes, and emotions, leading to awareness of the gap between the actual self and the ideal self, which can diminish positive self-affect. Conversely, attention diverted from oneself is called subjective self-awareness (Subjective Self-Awareness), wherein individuals focus less on discrepancies with standards and perceive themselves as observers and evaluators of the external world, which may enhance positive emotional experience.

J. M. Oliver and John Klocek (1995) proposed that emotions like depression and anxiety are influenced by three factors: (1) the individual’s perceptions of relationships with their parents, early family ambiance, and socialization processes; (2) self-focus; (3) recent states of depression and anxiety (mood). Negative life experiences in early years can subconsciously affect individuals, and when triggered by negative emotions and self-focus, the symptoms of depression and anxiety can resurface. Rick E. Ingram and Kathleen Wisnicki (1999) empirically found that individuals in a state of agitation tend to generalize self-focus excessively, which can significantly increase the intensity and frequency of negative emotions, thereby affecting the quality of life.

Authors and Contact Email

Information not available

Purpose

The aim of the study is to understand the effects of self-focus on emotional states, particularly its role in depression and anxiety.

Test Year

Information not available

Administration Method and Scoring

The Self-Focused Attention Scale (SFAS) is administered through a questionnaire where respondents evaluate statements regarding their self-perception on a Likert scale from 1 to 5, where:
1. 完全不符合 (Completely disagree)
2. 比较不符合 (Disagree somewhat)
3. 不确定 (Neutral)
4. 比较符合 (Agree somewhat)
5. 完全符合 (Completely agree)

Reliability and Validity

Information not available

Factors and Subscales

The questionnaire includes the following dimensions:
– 社会生理 (Sociophysical)
– 社会心理 (Sociopsychological)
– 个体生理 (Individual Physiological)
– 个体心理 (Individual Psychological)

Keywords

Self-focus, self-awareness, depression, anxiety, private self-consciousness, public self-consciousness

Items in Chinese

1. 我确信我的头发看起来很棒。
2. 当和其它人在一起时，我想让自己的手看起来是清洁和健康的。
3. 对我来说，皮肤好(例如皮肤上没有污点)是很重要的。
4. 我清楚自己脸颊最好看和最难看的部位。
5. 我很在乎我平时表现出来的身体姿势。
6. 饥饿时，我能很快地意识到我胃部的收缩。
7. 当我的口腔或喉咙感到干燥时，我能很快感觉到。
8. 当把自己擦伤时，我在很长一段时间都会察觉到疼痛。
9. 我经常能够感觉到自己的心跳。
10. 我经常尝试自己想办法解决问题。
11. 我经常全神贯注地思考自己的事情。
12. 我发现自己经常将自己跟别人比较。
13. 我总是反复地回忆起过去的生活经历。
14. 我经常担心自己是否会在别人心目中形成一个良好的印象。
15. 我很在乎别人如何看待我。
16. 我在乎自己在日常生活中的言行举止。
17. 我非常清楚自己的外貌是什么样子的。

Items in English

1. I am confident that my hair looks great.
2. When I am with others, I want my hands to look clean and healthy.
3. Having good skin (e.g., no blemishes) is important to me.
4. I am aware of the best and worst parts of my cheeks.
5. I care about my body posture.
6. When I am hungry, I can quickly notice contractions in my stomach.
7. When my mouth or throat feels dry, I can quickly sense it.
8. When I hurt myself, I am aware of the pain for a long time.
9. I often can feel my heartbeat.
10. I frequently try to solve problems on my own.
11. I often focus intensely on my own issues.
12. I find myself comparing myself to others often.
13. I always recall past life experiences repeatedly.
14. I often worry about whether I make a good impression on others.
15. I care about how others perceive me.
16. I am concerned about my behavior in daily life.
17. I am very aware of what I look like.

References

肖诗来.父母教养方式、自我关注与大学生自我和谐的关系研究［D］.上海:华东师范大学，2010.
孟瑶. 反刍与正念自我关注之间的关系：亲社会行为的调节作用[D].曲阜师范大学,2015.
Kiropoulos L A , Klimidis S . A Self-Focused Attention Scale: Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties[J]. Cognitive Therapy & Research, 2006, 30(3):297-306.