Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN)
The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) is a social phobia scale that measures the severity of social phobia (SP), which is often referred to as social anxiety disorder (SAD). This social phobia scale is a 17-item self-rating that asks respondents to indicate how much they have been bothered by 17 symptoms of SA during the preceding week. These symptoms cover fear, avoidance and physical signs of social anxiety. They are three important dimensions of SA. The inclusion of four autonomic symptoms (trembling, blushing, heart palpitations, sweating) distinguishes the SPIN from most other SA rating scales, and may give the scale additional practical utility as a symptom measure in primary care. This is because SP may be more likely to present with physical symptoms that are bothersome in public.
Mini-SPIN
The Mini-SPIN is a three item screener to detect social anxiety disorder/social phobia, with a high degree of accuracy. It is also sensitive to change over time. The three items were derived from detailed analysis of data obtained from use of the 17-item SPIN, and the social phobia scale is psychometrically sound. A number of translations exist.
More Information
Over thirty translations of the social phobia scales exist. Both social phobia scales are copyright and neither is in the public domain. The manual can be downloaded from this site at no cost:
For inquiries about use, permission to use, or the creation of translations, please contact the author at mail@cd-risc.com, or complete the attached Intended Use form for the SPIN or Mini-SPIN:
- SPIN Intended Use form: SPIN 01-01-20p
- Mini-SPIN Intended Use form: M-SPIN 01-01-20p
To learn more about social anxiety disorders, visit the Anxiety Disorders page on the National Institute of Mental Health’s site.