Panic and Agoraphobia Scale explained

Panic and Agoraphobia Scale
Purpose:	measures severity of agoraphobia

The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS) is a rating scale developed for measuring severity of agoraphobia with or without panic attacks.^[1]

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Background

The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS) is primarily used for monitoring the efficacy of both medication and psychotherapy treatments of agoraphobia, as well as a screening tool for the disorder. It is available in both self-rated and clinician-rated versions and the scale structure is compatible with DSM-IV and ICD-10 classifications.

Translations

In addition to the English version, translations are available in many languages, including French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Yiddish, Chinese, Thai, and others.^[2]

Scoring

The total of the score of scale indicates the severity of the disorder. The PAS contains 13 questions (items) based on a five-point Likert scale (0 to 4). Two or three items contribute each of five subscales, which cover the spectrum of agoraphobia symptom clusters:

1. panic attacks
2. agoraphobic avoidance
3. anticipatory anxiety
4. disability
5. worries about health

Efficacy

The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale has been shown to be an effective instrument for measuring the severity of agoraphobia and panic attacks, as well as monitoring treatment results.^{[3] [4]}

See also

• Panic Disorder Severity Scale
• List of diagnostic classification and rating scales used in psychiatry

External links

• Online version of the PAS

Notes and References

1. Bandelow B. Assessing the efficacy of treatments for panic disorder and agoraphobia. II. The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 1995 Jun,10(2):73-81.
2. Bandelow B. (1999) The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS) Hogrefe & Huber Publishing.
3. Bandelow B, Broocks A, Pekrun G, et al. The use of the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (P & A) in a controlled clinical trial. Pharmacopsychiatry 2000 Sep,33(5):174-81
4. Tural U, Fidane H, Alkin T, Bandelow B Assessing the severity of panic disorder and agoraphobia: validity, reliability and objectivity of the Turkish translation of the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (P&A). J Anxiety Disord. 2002,16(3):331-40