Table of Contents
Abstract
The Social Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) is a specialized psychometric questionnaire designed to measure the frequency of specific actions known as safety behaviors. These behaviors are commonly employed by individuals experiencing high levels of social anxiety in anticipation of or during social interactions. The SBQ consists of 28 items, each assessing a self-protective or avoidance strategy that, while providing temporary relief, is hypothesized to maintain and exacerbate the underlying anxiety disorder over time. It is primarily used as an assessment and monitoring tool within Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) protocols.
Keywords
Social Behavior Questionnaire, safety behaviors, Social Anxiety Disorder, SAD, social phobia, avoidance, assessment, CBT, psychological measurement.
Authors
Author information for this specific behavioral checklist is not explicitly provided in the available source material. This scale is frequently used in clinical settings derived from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) protocols for social anxiety, drawing heavily on models developed by researchers such as Clark and Wells.
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Purpose
The primary purpose of the SBQ is to provide clinicians and researchers with a quantifiable measure of the extent to which individuals rely on safety behaviors when facing social situations. This assessment is crucial in the context of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), where the identification and subsequent elimination of these behaviors are central to successful treatment outcomes.
By quantifying the frequency of these behaviors, the SBQ allows for baseline assessment, treatment planning, and monitoring of progress. A decrease in the reported frequency of these safety behaviors typically indicates improved coping mechanisms and reduced severity of social anxiety symptoms, confirming the efficacy of exposure and cognitive restructuring techniques.
Construct
The SBQ measures the construct of Anxiety-Driven Safety Behaviors in social settings. Safety behaviors are defined as overt or covert actions performed to prevent anticipated negative outcomes (e.g., embarrassment, rejection, scrutiny) associated with a feared situation. Crucially, these behaviors prevent the individual from disconfirming their negative beliefs about social threat, thereby maintaining the social anxiety disorder cycle.
The 28 items cover a wide spectrum of behavioral responses, encompassing three main categories: physical avoidance (e.g., avoiding eye contact, staying on the edge of groups), cognitive avoidance and monitoring (e.g., rehearsing sentences, checking how one is coming across), and compensatory strategies (e.g., using alcohol, trying to control physical symptoms like shaking).
Validity
Specific, published validity data (e.g., criterion, construct, or discriminant validity studies) for the SBQ is not detailed in the provided clinical resource. However, scales designed to measure safety behaviors are generally expected to demonstrate high concurrent validity with established measures of social anxiety severity, such as the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS).
Conceptually, the scale possesses strong face validity, as its items directly reflect behaviors frequently observed and documented in clinical models of Social Anxiety Disorder, particularly those emphasized in cognitive models that focus on maintenance factors.
Reliability
Standard psychometrics regarding internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) or test-retest reliability for this specific version of the questionnaire are not available from the source material. In clinical practice, the reliability of such behavioral checklists is often assessed via consistency across raters (if applicable) or through demonstrated responsiveness to therapeutic intervention, suggesting its utility as a reliable measure of change.
Factor Analysis
Formal factor analytic studies detailing the underlying dimensional structure of the 28 items are not available in the source documentation. Based on the theoretical construct, a factor analysis would likely reveal distinct clusters related to different modes of behavioral coping, such as Physical Avoidance/Escape, Cognitive Self-Monitoring, and Substance/Symptom Control.
Instrument
Test Type: Clinical self-report questionnaire measuring behavioral frequency.
Format: 28 items presented on a 4-point Likert-style frequency scale (Always, Often, Sometimes, Never).
Language Available: English (as presented in the source content).
Population Group: Individuals presenting with symptoms of or diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) or specific social phobias.
Age Group: Typically utilized with adolescents and adults capable of accurate self-reflection.
Population Details: Clinical and non-clinical populations where social anxiety or social discomfort is a relevant factor, particularly those undergoing cognitive restructuring therapy.
Test Methodology: Respondents are instructed to rate how often they engage in each behavior when they are anxious in or before a social situation.
Keywords
Self-report, clinical assessment, social phobia, avoidance behaviors, cognitive control, psychopathology, measurement, psychometrics.
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Authors
Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified.
Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified.
Correspondence Address: Not specified.
Permissions & Fee and Test Year
The scale appears to be used primarily as a clinical tool derived from standardized CBT protocols, often utilized freely by practitioners for patient monitoring. Specific copyright, permission requirements, or associated fees are not detailed in the source material. The source reference suggests its operational use in clinical settings around 2013 or earlier.
Reference’s
The original source refers to the scale as the Social Behaviors Questionnaire and provides the following reference context:
- Source Documentation: Assessment and Monitoring Questionnaires for CBT Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved from: http://www.goodmedicine.org.uk/stressedtozest/2013/09/assessment-monitoring-questionnaires-cbt-treatment-social-anxiety-disorder
- The original PDF file for the Behaviors Questionnaire can be downloaded here: http://www.goodmedicine.org.uk/files/social%20anxiety%E2%80%9A%20assessment%20dc%20behaviours.pdf
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Items of the social behavior questionnaire
IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.
Use alcohol to manage anxiety | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Try not to attract attention | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Make an effort to get your words right | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Check that you are coming across well | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Avoid eye contact | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Talk less | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Avoid asking questions | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Try to picture how you appear to others | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Grip cups or glasses tightly | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Position yourself so as not to be noticed | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Try to control shaking | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Choose clothes that will prevent or conceal sweating | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Wear clothes or makeup to hide blushing [quads id=5] | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Rehearse sentences in your mind | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Censor what you are going to say | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Blank out or switch off mentally | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Avoid talking about yourself | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Keep still | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Ask lots of questions | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Think positive | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Stay on the edge of groups | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Avoid pauses in speech | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Hide your face | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Try to think about other things | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Talk more | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Try to act normal | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Try to keep tight control of your behaviour | Never | Sometimes | Often | Always |
Make an effort to come across well | Always | Often | Sometimes | Never |
Cite this article
Mohammed looti (2025). Social Behavior Questionnaire. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Retrieved from https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/social-behavior-questionnaire/
Mohammed looti. "Social Behavior Questionnaire." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 17 Oct. 2025, https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/social-behavior-questionnaire/.
Mohammed looti. "Social Behavior Questionnaire." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 2025. https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/social-behavior-questionnaire/.
Mohammed looti (2025) 'Social Behavior Questionnaire', Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Available at: https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/social-behavior-questionnaire/.
[1] Mohammed looti, "Social Behavior Questionnaire," Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, October, 2025.
Mohammed looti. Social Behavior Questionnaire. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. 2025;vol(issue):pages.