title: The Safety Behavior Assessment Form: Development and Validation.
abstract: To develop and validate an easy to administer measure of safety behaviors called the Safety Behavior Assessment Form (SBAF).
  
  
  
  We provide reliability and validity evidence from four studies. The first study used a cross-sectional design with a sample consisting of both clinical (U.S. military Veterans; n = 42) and nonclinical participants (undergraduates; n = 198). Study 2 used a cross-sectional design with a sample of U.S. military Veterans (n = 215). Study 3 used a pre-post treatment design with a sample of U.S. military Veterans (n = 42). Study 4 used a 2-time-point longitudinal design with a sample of undergraduates (n = 77).
  
  
  
  The SBAF demonstrated strong levels of internal consistency and test-retest reliability in all four studies. The SBAF also demonstrated predictive and discriminant validity. In Study 3, the SBAF predicted anxious, but not depressive, treatment outcomes in a sample of Veterans. In Study 4, the SBAF predicted prospective changes in anxiety over a 2-week interval in a sample of undergraduates even after controlling for a competing measure of safety behaviors.
  
  
  
  Results of these four studies indicate that the SBAF is a reliable and valid measure of safety behaviors that can be used in both clinical and nonclinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Philadelphia VA Medical Center. Jason.Goodson@va.gov.|University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. Jason.Goodson@va.gov.
authors.forename: Jason T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Goodson
authors.affiliation: University of Notre Dame.
authors.forename: Gerald J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Haeffel
authors.affiliation: Philadelphia VA Medical Center.|University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.|Private Practice, Stratford, New Jersey.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Raush
authors.affiliation: Philadelphia VA Medical Center.|University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hershenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012449:Safety; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Veterans; anxiety; safety behaviors; scale construction