Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, SADS

Test scores

Report

Individuals who score high in the SADS are those who experience anxiety or distress with social interaction or anticipations of social interactions. Persons high on the SAD had significantly lower levels of self-esteem. High SADS scores indicated significantly lower values of self-confidence, need for affiliation, need for change, and need for dominance.

Generally the lower scores on the SADS are considered to be most adaptive because they are associated with self-esteem and social engagement, however, individuals who score very low on the SADS have been shown to have a higher need for social control and dominance . Thus, very low scorers may be resistant to prosocial activities. Higher scorers on the SADS have lower self confidence, lower need for social affiliation, low need for dominance and a high need for deference. (Geist & Borecki, 1982)