Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale – SAS
Measures the personality dimensions of sociotropy (social dependency) and autonomy (independence and achievement orientation) as vulnerability factors for depression.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale – SAS was developed by Aaron T. Beck, Norman Epstein, Robert P. Harrison, & Gary Emery (1983). It is designed to measure Sociotropy and Autonomy. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 65 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Sociotropy, Autonomy.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Sociotropy | 1,4,5,7,8,11,15,18,19,20,25,26,27,28,30,32,35,36,37,40,42,46,48,50,52,53,55,56,59,62,63 | 31 |
| Autonomy | 2,3,6,9,10,12,13,14,16,17,21,22,23,24,29,31,33,34,38,39,41,43,44,45,47,49,51,54,57,58,60,61,64,65 | 34 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at All, 2 = A Little, 3 = Some, 4 = Much, 5 = Very Much.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 65 to 325. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low overall score: 65 – 130
- Moderate overall score: 131 – 195
- High overall score: 196 – 260
- Very High overall score: 261 – 325
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 > .80 for both subscales).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.