Background
Androphobia is the type of intense anxiety faced by a person around men or in simple terms it is irrational fear of men. Some people tend to feel nervous when facing situations where there might be the presence of men because of fear of judgment or criticism. It is a normal part of behavior to feel shy when being the center of attention, but it may be considered abnormal when someone shows hypervigilant behaviors when men are likely to be present. Androphobia can manifest in various ways and people with Androphobia may experience a range of emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms.
The Androphobia Severity Scale (ASS) has been developed to measure severity and traits associated with fear of men. The assessment incorporates concepts from specific phobia research, social anxiety research, interpersonal threat perception, trauma-related avoidance, and fear-conditioning models.
The multidimensional structure assesses both contributing factors and current symptoms, allowing individuals to better understand how fear of men may influence their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and daily functioning. Androphobia is not listed as a specific phobia but if the symptoms are interfering with daily functioning then addressing and understanding traits may be a first step towards better management.
Procedure
The (ASS)consists of 36 items organized into three parts and six dimensions. You have to rate how frequently each statement applies to your experiences. Part 1: (12 items) In this section it evaluates experiences and cognitive beliefs that may contribute to fear of men. Part 2: (12 items) in this section it evaluates emotional and psychological responses that occur in situations involving men. Part 3: (12 items) In this section it evaluates behavioral consequences and functional impact associated with fear of men.
Scoring & Interpretation
Responses are scored on a 5-point frequency scale:
0 = Never
1 = Rarely
2 = Sometimes
3 = Often
4 = Very Often
The assessment contains six dimensions:
Past Negative Experiences (6 items)
Perceived Threat (6 items)
Fear Response (6 items)
Social Anxiety Around Men (6 items)
Avoidance Behavior (6 items)
Interpersonal Functioning (6 items)
Several items are reverse scored.
Dimension Score Ranges:
Past Negative Experiences: 0–24
Perceived Threat: 0–24
Fear Response: 0–24
Social Anxiety Around Men: 0–24
Avoidance Behavior: 0–24
Interpersonal Functioning: 0–24
Percentage Score = (Raw Score ÷ Maximum Possible Score) × 100
Higher scores indicate greater endorsement of the measured characteristic.
Androphobia Severity Scale (ASS) Questionnaire
Below is the Androphobia Severity Scale (ASS), a digitally adapted 36- items self-assessment questionnaire. There are 36 items in this self-assessment, you have to answer each statement honestly based on your present and past experiences, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when interacting with, thinking about, or being around men. Some items describe fears, beliefs, emotional reactions, or avoidance behaviors, while other items describe comfort, trust, or confidence in situations involving men. There are no right or wrong answers.