The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents: An Initial Psychometric Investigation

Authors

Carrie Masia, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Eric A. Storch, Boston UniversityFollow
Donna B. Pincus, Boston University
Rachel G. Klein, New York University
Richard G. Heimberg, Temple University
Michael R. Liebowitz, Columbia UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Journal / Book Title

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Abstract

Objective: To examine the psychometric properties of a newly developed clinician rating scale, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA), Method: A total of 154 children and adolescents participated in an assessment consisting of a diagnostic interview, the LSAS-CA, and other measures of psychopathology and impairment. Sixty-one of these children also participated in a second LSAS-CA administration, by a different rater blind to diagnosis, within 7 days of the initial assessment. Results: High internal consistency (α = .90-.97 for full sample and .S3-.95 for social phobia group) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.89-0.94) were obtained for LSAS-CA total and subscale scores. LSAS-CA scores had stronger associations with measures of social anxiety and general impairment than with a measure of depression. Subjects with social anxiety disorder had significantly higher LSAS-CA scores than subjects with other anxiety disorders and healthy controls. A LSAS-CA cutoff score of 22.5 represented the best balance of sensitivity and specificity when distinguishing between individuals with social phobia and normal controls, whereas a cutoff of 29.5 was optimal for distinguishing social phobia from other anxiety disorders. Conclusion: Initial findings suggest that the LSAS-CA is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of social anxiety disorder.

DOI

10.1097/01.CHI.0000070249.24125.89

MSU Digital Commons Citation

Masia, Carrie; Storch, Eric A.; Pincus, Donna B.; Klein, Rachel G.; Heimberg, Richard G.; and Liebowitz, Michael R., "The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents: An Initial Psychometric Investigation" (2003). Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 514.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/psychology-facpubs/514

Published Citation

Masia-Warner, C., Storch, E. A., Pincus, D. B., Klein, R. G., Heimberg, R. G., & Liebowitz, M. R. (2003). The Liebowitz social anxiety scale for children and adolescents: an initial psychometric investigation. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(9), 1076–1084. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.CHI.0000070249.24125.89