Physical Activity and Sport Anxiety Scale (PASAS)

Background:

This test was developed from a need to integrate measures of social anxiety and avoidance into assessment of physical activity and sport. Given the importance of physical exercise to individual health, accounting for psychological moderators of exercise behaviour is crucial.

Psychometrics:

Psychometric analysis of this scale has been conducted (Norton, Hope, & Weeks, 2004).

Author of Tool:

Norton, P. J., Hope, D. A., & Weeks, J. W.

Key references:

Primary use / Purpose:

The Physical Activity and Sport Anxiety Scale (PASAS) is a 16-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure social anxiety in physical activities and sports.

Other Information:

*** Scoring Instructions: Items 3, 11, and 14 are reverse scores. Total Scale Score computed by summing all items. ***

Physical Activity and Sport Anxiety Scale

Directions: These statements describe how a person might feel of think while participating in athletic activities. Please rate how characteristic each statement is of you while playing sports or exercising/working-out.

• Not at all characteristics of me
• Slightly characteristic of me
• Moderately characteristic of me
• Very characteristic of me
• Extremely Characteristic of me

• 1. I worry about what people will think of me while playing sports, even though it will not make any difference.
• 2. I feel that I will humiliate myself when I play sports.
• 3. I rarely worry about what kind of impression I am making on someone while exercising/working out. *
• 4. I am usually worried about what kind of impression I make while playing sports.
• 5. I am afraid that people will find fault with my performance while playing sports.
• 6. Sometimes I think I am too concerned with what other
  people think about my performance while exercising/working out.
• 7. I feel nervous if other people are watching me when I am exercising/working out.
• 8. I usually get nervous when I play sports in front of even a few people who are watching.
• 9. I feel that I will humiliate myself when I exercise/work out.
• 10. I don’t want the ball to come to me when I play team sports.
• 11. Other people’s opinions of how well I play sports do not bother me. *
• 12. I feel self-conscious when playing sports.
• 13. I pass the ball to a teammate when I get nervous.
• 14. I could not care less if an audience was watching me perform. *
• 15. I avoid social gatherings if I think they will involve an athletic activity.
• 16. I avoid exercising/working out where others can see me.