title: Development of the Anxiety Change Expectancy Scale (ACES) and validation in college, community, and clinical samples.
abstract: This study investigated the psychometric properties of a newly developed 20-item instrument that assesses one's anticipation of being able to change anxiety: the Anxiety Change Expectancy Scale (ACES). Study 1 evaluated the ACES in undergraduate university students, self-identified as experiencing difficulties with anxiety. Study 2 examined the ACES in a community sample of persons with anxiety difficulties. Study 3 tested the utility of the ACES in predicting treatment change in a group of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder participating in group cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety. Across these samples, the ACES demonstrated excellent internal reliability (coefficient alphas=.89-.92) as well as good convergent, divergent, and factorial validity. The ACES was also significantly predictive of treatment-related changes in somatic anxiety symptoms and worry. The results of these studies provide strong support for the ACES as a reliable and valid measure of expectancies for changing anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont., Canada N6G 5C2. ddozois@uwo.ca
authors.forename: David J A
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Dozois
authors.forename: Henny A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Westra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics