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Attributional Style Assessment Test
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About Scale Name
Scale Name
Attributional Style Assessment Test
Author Details
Craig A. Anderson and colleagues
caa@iastate.edu
Translation Availability
Not Sure
Background/Description
The Attributional Style Assessment Test (ASAT) is a self-report measure that assesses people’s explanatory style, or the way they explain the causes of events in their lives. The ASAT was developed by Craig A. Anderson and colleagues at Iowa State University in 1999.
Explanatory style is a cognitive style that refers to the way people make attributions, or explanations, for events in their lives. Attributions are typically made along three dimensions:
- Internality: Whether the cause of an event is seen as internal (within the person) or external (outside the person).
- Stability: Whether the cause of an event is seen as stable (likely to persist over time) or unstable (likely to change).
- Globality: Whether the cause of an event is seen as global (affecting many aspects of the person’s life) or specific (affecting only one aspect of the person’s life).
People who have a pessimistic explanatory style tend to attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes. This means that they see themselves as the cause of negative events, that these events are likely to happen again in the future, and that they will have a negative impact on many aspects of their lives.
People who have an optimistic explanatory style tend to attribute negative events to external, unstable, and specific causes. This means that they see negative events as caused by factors outside of their control, that these events are unlikely to happen again in the future, and that they will have a limited impact on their lives.
Please find enclosed the copies of the five versions of the Attributional Style Assessment Test (ASAT) employed in our research endeavors. Among these versions, three utilize a forced-choice methodology, namely ASAT I, ASAT II, and a Chinese adaptation of ASAT I. The remaining two versions adopt a dimensional approach, denoted as ASAT III and ASAT IV. These distinct approaches have proven to be valuable in our investigations, catering to slightly different research inquiries. Notably, ASAT I, III, and the Chinese version comprise 20 items each, while ASAT II and IV encompass 36 items.
It is important to note that the dimensional versions (III & IV) evaluate six dimensions, namely Changeability, Locus, Globality, Stability, Intentionality, and Controllability. However, in recent studies, we have omitted the assessment of changeability and intentionality due to their high correlation with controllability. Consequently, their inclusion may not significantly contribute to the understanding of attributional style. Nevertheless, it should be acknowledged that certain research questions could warrant the incorporation of these dimensions. Therefore, I encourage researchers to select the approach that best aligns with their specific research inquiries.
We would like to emphasize that the copyright for these scales remains with Craig A. Anderson. Researchers are granted permission to employ these scales for research purposes without seeking prior approval.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Introduce the ASAT to the participant. Explain that the ASAT is a test that measures how people explain the causes of events in their lives.
- Read the instructions for each item aloud. Be sure to explain the meaning of the terms “internal,” “stable,” and “global.”
- Ask the participant to rate the cause of each event on a 7-point scale. The scale ranges from 1 (very much external) to 7 (very much internal).
- Score the ASAT. The ASAT can be scored manually or using an online scoring program.
- Interpret the results. The ASAT results can be interpreted in a number of ways. One way is to look at the participant’s overall score for internality, stability, and globality. Another way is to look at the participant’s scores for negative and positive events.
Reliability and Validity
The Attributional Style Assessment Test (ASAT) has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of explanatory style. Reliability refers to the consistency of the test scores, while validity refers to the accuracy of the test scores.
The ASAT has been shown to have good internal consistency, meaning that the items on the test are all measuring the same construct. The test also has good test-retest reliability, meaning that people’s scores on the test are consistent over time.
The ASAT has also been shown to have good validity. It has been correlated with other measures of explanatory style, such as the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ). The ASAT has also been shown to predict a number of important outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, and academic achievement.
Available Versions
20-Items
Reference
- Horowitz, L.M., French, R., & Anderson, C.A. (1982). The prototype of loneliness. In L.A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Theory, Research, and Therapy (pp. 183-205). New York: Wiley-Interscience.
- Anderson, C.A., Horowitz, L.M., & French, R. (1983). Attributional style of lonely and depressed people. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45, 127-136.
- Anderson, C.A. (1983). Motivational and performance deficits in interpersonal settings: The effect of attributional style. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45, 1136-1147.
- Anderson, C.A., & Arnoult, L.H. (1985). Attributional style and everyday problems in living: Depression, loneliness, and shyness. Social Cognition, 3, 16-35.
- Anderson, C.A., & Arnoult, L.H. (1985). Attributional models of depression, loneliness, and shyness. In J. Harvey & G. Weary (Eds.), Attribution: Basic Issues and Applications (pp. 235-279). New York: Academic Press.
- Anderson, C.A., Jennings, D.L., & Arnoult, L.H. (1988). Validity and utility of the
- attributional style construct at a moderate level of specificity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 55, 979-990.
- Anderson, C.A., & Riger, A.L. (1991). A controllability attributional model of problems in living: Dimensional and situational interactions in the prediction of depression and loneliness. Social Cognition, 9, 149-181.
- Anderson, C.A., Miller, R.S., Riger, A.L., Dill, J.C., & Sedikides, C. (1994). Behavioral and characterological attributional styles as predictors of depression and loneliness: Review, refinement, and test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, 549-558.
- Anderson, C.A. (1999). Attributional style, depression, and loneliness: A cross-cultural comparison of American and Chinese students. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 482-499.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs about the Attributional Style Assessment Test (ASAT)
What is the Attributional Style Assessment Test (ASAT)?
The ASAT is a self-report measure developed by Craig A. Anderson and colleagues at Iowa State University in 1999. It assesses people’s explanatory style, which refers to the way they explain the causes of events in their lives.
What dimensions does the ASAT assess?
The ASAT assesses attributions along three dimensions:
- Internality: Whether the cause of an event is seen as internal (within the person) or external (outside the person).
- Stability: Whether the cause of an event is seen as stable (likely to persist over time) or unstable (likely to change).
- Globality: Whether the cause of an event is seen as global (affecting many aspects of the person’s life) or specific (affecting only one aspect of the person’s life).
What are the differences between pessimistic and optimistic explanatory styles?
People with a pessimistic explanatory style attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes. They see themselves as the cause of negative events, expect similar events in the future, and believe these events will have a negative impact on various aspects of their lives. On the other hand, individuals with an optimistic explanatory style attribute negative events to external, unstable, and specific causes. They view negative events as caused by factors outside their control, don’t anticipate similar future events, and believe the impact will be limited.
How many versions of the ASAT exist?
There are five versions of the ASAT employed in research endeavors. Three versions—ASAT I, ASAT II, and a Chinese adaptation of ASAT I—use a forced-choice methodology. The remaining two versions—ASAT III and ASAT IV—adopt a dimensional approach. ASAT I, III, and the Chinese version consist of 20 items each, while ASAT II and IV contain 36 items.
What dimensions are evaluated in the dimensional versions (III & IV) of the ASAT?
The dimensional versions evaluate the following six dimensions: Changeability, Locus, Globality, Stability, Intentionality, and Controllability. However, recent studies have omitted the assessment of changeability and intentionality due to their high correlation with controllability. In most cases, including these dimensions may not significantly contribute to understanding attributional style. Researchers should select the approach that aligns best with their specific research inquiries.
Who holds the copyright for the ASAT scales?
The copyright for the ASAT scales remains with Craig A. Anderson. However, researchers are granted permission to employ these scales for research purposes without seeking prior approval.
How is the ASAT administered and scored?
To administer the ASAT, introduce it to the participant and explain its purpose. Read the instructions for each item aloud, ensuring the meaning of terms like “internal,” “stable,” and “global” are understood. Ask the participant to rate the cause of each event on a 7-point scale (ranging from 1 for very much external to 7 for very much internal). Scoring can be done manually or using an online scoring program.
How can the ASAT results be interpreted?
The ASAT results can be interpreted in various ways. One approach is to examine the participant’s overall scores for internality, stability, and globality. Alternatively, the scores for negative and positive events can be analyzed separately to gain insights into specific areas of attributional style.
Is the ASAT a reliable and valid measure?
Yes, the ASAT has demonstrated good reliability and validity. It exhibits good internal consistency, indicating that the test items measure the same construct. It also has good test-retest reliability, meaning that people’s scores on the test remain consistent over time. Additionally, the ASAT has shown good validity by correlating with other measures of explanatory style and predicting outcomes like depression, anxiety, and academic achievement.
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