Measuring Levels of Experiential States in Clinical Applications by Discan: A Discretized Analog Method

Abstract

A clinically-oriented description is provided of the Discretized Analog or Discan method (Singh and Bilsbury, 1984) for obtaining reliable and precise measures of subjectively experienced dysfunction variables whose possible values form a continuum. The method can provide a 14-point ordered categorical scale with only four reference levels which represent some of the possible values of intensity of the variable. The process of Discan administration consists of a series of repeated comparisons of the true or perceived level with one or two reference levels at a time. It therefore allows for use of elaborate descriptive statements for reference levels. It is recommended following Shapiro (1961, 1975) that the reference levels be ideographic, ipsitive and should reflect ordered steps of recovery from the dysfunction. Discan overcomes several limitations of the commonly used rating scales. An application of Discan to the MSB relaxation technique is presented as an illustration.