Concurrent Validity for an Activity Vector Analysis Index of Anxiety

Abstract

This study determined the concurrent validity between the Activity Vector Analysis (AVA) index of anxiety (AVA pattern shape PS 5519, Vector 4 divided by Vector 3) and scores on the IPAT Anxiety Scale. Utilizing 182 subjects including 59 Brown University undergraduates, 74 suicide prevention volunteers, 34 emergency medical technicians, and 15 Rhode Island College students, results suggest that strong concurrent validity exists between the AVA anxiety index and the IPAT Anxiety Scale. In the four groups tested, the correlation between the AVA measure of anxiety and the IPAT ranged from .39 to .56. The IPAT and the AVA index of anxiety seem essentially to measure the same construct of basic anxiety.