Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS)

Introduction
The Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS) is a psychological assessment tool designed to evaluate the level of manifest anxiety in individuals. Developed by Dr. Janet Taylor Spence, the scale emerged from the need to quantify the anxiety construct in a reliable and valid manner. Originally intended for use in clinical settings, the TMAS has found application in various fields of psychology, including developmental, social, and clinical psychology. The scale comprises a series of statements to which respondents indicate their level of agreement or disagreement, thereby providing insights into their anxiety levels.

The TMAS operates on the premise that anxiety can be measured as a stable personality trait, as opposed to a transient state. This distinction is crucial in understanding the scale's design and its intended application. The tool measures manifest anxiety, which refers to the observable symptoms and behaviors associated with anxiety, such as tension, nervousness, and worry. The scale's items are crafted to capture these dimensions, offering a quantitative measure of the individual's tendency towards anxiety in their daily life. Over the years, the TMAS has undergone various revisions and adaptations, aiming to improve its reliability, validity, and applicability across different populations and contexts.

The use of the TMAS in research and clinical practice has contributed significantly to our understanding of anxiety and its impact on individuals' lives. By providing a standardized method for assessing manifest anxiety, the scale facilitates comparisons across studies and populations. Furthermore, it allows for the examination of relationships between anxiety and other psychological constructs, health outcomes, and behavioral patterns.

Instructions
The statements below inquire about your behavior and emotions. Consider each statement carefully. Then indicate whether the statements are generally true or false for you.

  True False
1. I do not tire quickly
2. I believe I am no more nervous than others
3. I have very few headaches
4. I work under a great deal of tension
5. I frequently notice my hand shakes when I try do something
6. I blush no more often than others
7. I have diarrhea one a month or more
8. I worry quite a bit over possible misfortunes
9. I practically never blush
10. I am often afraid that I am going to blush
11. My hands and feet are usually warm enough
12. I sweat very easily even on cool days
13. Sometimes when embarrassed, I break out in a sweat
14. I hardly ever notice my heart pounding, and I am seldom short of breath
15. I feel hungry almost all of the time
16. I am very seldom troubled by constipation
17. I have a great deal of stomach trouble
18. I have had periods in which I lost sleep over worry
19. I am easily embarrassed
20. I am more sensitive than most other people
21. I frequently find myself worrying about something
22. I wish I could be as happy as others seem to be
23. I am usually calm and not easily upset
24. I feel anxiety about something or someone almost all of the time
25. I am happy most of the time
26. It makes me nervous to have to wait
27. Sometimes I become so excited I find it hard to get to sleep
28. I have sometimes felt that difficulties piling up so high I couldn’t get over them
29. I admit I have felt worried beyond reason over small things
30. I have very few fears compared to my friends
31. I certainly feel useless at times
32. I find it hard to keep my mind on a task or job
33. I am usually self-conscious
34. I am inclined to take things hard
35. At times I think I am no good at all
36. I am certainly lacking in self-confidence
37. I sometimes feel that I am about to go to pieces
38. I am entirely self-confident
Sources
  1. Janet A. Taylor. A Personality Scale of Manifest Anxiety. 48(2) J. Abnormal and Social Psych. 285-290. .