Screening test by statistically reducing the number of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) items

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to find a method of mental examination which can be simply performed concurrently with physical examination during a regular check-up. On a regular check-up, the state-trait anxiety inventor (STAI) was administered to 264 construction workmen engaged in reconstruction work for the Hanshin Awaji Great Earthquake. Data on a total of 40 STAI items, i.e., 20 state anxiety (A-State) items and 20 trait anxiety (A-Trait) items were subjected to multiple regression analysis and five items were extracted from A-State and five from A-Trait items as a practical tool for a simple screening test. The contribution rates of the respective five items for the total score were 90.0% for A-State and 88.5% for T-State. The correlation coefficients, r, between predicted and observed values were 0.949 (p < 0.01) for A-State and 0.940 (p < 0.01) for A-Trait. Because of certain degrees of validity and reliability of each five-item system, it is considered that this method is useful as a simple screening test to roughly grasp the mental health of subjects and can be utilized for mental health care at offices.