Translate Coulrophobia Severity Scale (CSS)

Coulrophobia Severity Scale (CSS)

<p>Coulrophobia, or the specific phobia of clowns, is characterized by marked and persistent fear that is disproportionate to actual threat, often accompanied by autonomic arousal, avoidance behavior, and anticipatory anxiety. As with other specific phobias, presentations range from mild discomfort to clinically significant impairment involving panic-like symptoms and intrusive ideation.
The Coulrophobia Severity Scale (CSS) was developed to provide a brief, accessible self-report measure of coulrophobic symptom severity. The instrument consists of 14 items rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = Never, 5 = Always), yielding a total score range of 14–70, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.</p>
<p>Item content was written in plain, non-technical language to reduce comprehension burden and support use across a broad range of respondents, including non-clinical and educational settings. Mean completion time is under three minutes.</p>
<p>Factor Structure</p>
<p>The CSS was constructed around two conceptually distinct subscales: </p>

<p>Emotional and Somatic Reactivity — items assessing affective and physiological fear responses (e.g., racing heart, panic, dread) elicited by clown-related stimuli.</p>
<p>Avoidance and Cognitive Intrusion — items assessing behavioral avoidance and persistent, unwanted thoughts related to clowns.</p>

<p>This two-factor structure allows for differentiation between reactive fear responses and the cognitive-behavioral maintenance patterns typically associated with phobic disorders.</p>

This scale is suitable for children, teenagers, and adults due to its simple language. It is used for personal screening, educational exercises, and research studies, but is not a professional diagnostic tool.

The scale consists of 14 items evaluated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Never to 5 = Always). Item 12 is reverse-scored to control for response bias.
The items are split into two subscales:
Emotional & Somatic Reactivity: items 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13 (raw score range 7–35)
Avoidance & Cognitive Intrusion: items 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14 (raw score range 7–35)
The total score is calculated by summing all 14 processed items, yielding a raw score range of 14 to 70. Subscale scores are converted to a standardized 0–100 scale for easier interpretation.

I feel scared when I see a picture of a clown.

My heart beats fast when I am near a clown.

I look away when a clown appears on a screen or TV.

I worry about seeing a clown when I go to public places.

I feel shaky or nervous when looking at a clown.

The sight of a clown's face makes me feel uneasy.

I avoid events like circuses or fairs because of clowns.

I have bad dreams or nightmares about clowns.

I feel sick or dizzy when a clown gets close to me.

Seeing a clown toy or doll makes me feel anxious.

I would leave a party if I saw a clown there.

I feel calm when I see a clown.

I feel tense when I hear a clown laugh or speak.

I avoid fast-food places or shops that use clown pictures.