Amsterdam Misophonia Scale (A-MISO-S)
The Amsterdam Misophonia Scale (A-MISO-S) is an adaptation of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and was developed by researchers in Amsterdam. The severity of your misophonia is determined by the sum of the points from these questions.
AMSTERDAM MISOPHONIA SCALE: Rate the characteristics of each item during the prior week up until and including the time you fill out this survey. Scores should reflect the average (mean) occurrence of each item for the entire week.
Q1. How much of your time is occupied by misophonic triggers? How frequently do the (thoughts about the) misophonic triggers occur?
0: None
1: Mild – less than 1 hr/day, or occasional (thoughts about) triggers (no more than 5 times a day)
2: Moderate – 1 to 3 hrs/day, or frequent (thoughts about) triggers (no more than 8 times a day, most of the hours are unaffected).
3: Severe – greater than 3 hrs and up to 8 hrs/day or very frequent (thoughts about) triggers.
4: Extreme – greater than 8 hrs/day or near constant (thoughts about) triggers.
Q2. How much do these misophonic triggers interfere with your social, work or role functioning? (Is there anything that you don’t do because of them? If currently not working, determine how much performance would be affected if you were employed.)
0: None
1: Mild – slight interference with social or occupational/school activities, but overall performance not impaired.
2: Moderate – definite interference with social or occupational performance, but still manageable.
3: Severe – causes substantial impairment in social or occupational performance.
4: Extreme – incapacitating.
Q3. How much distress do the misophonic triggers cause you? (In most cases, distress is equated with irritation, anger, or disgust. Only rate the emotion that seems triggered by misophonic triggers, not generalized irritation or irritation associated with other conditions.)
0: None
1: Mild – occasional irritation/distress.
2: Moderate – disturbing irritation / anger / disgust, but still manageable.
3: Severe – very disturbing irritation/anger/disgust.
4: Extreme – near constant and disturbing anger/disgust.
Q4. How much effort do you make to resist the (thoughts about the) misophonic triggers? (How often do you try to disregard or turn your attention away from these triggers? Only rate effort made to resist, not success or failure in actually controlling the thought or sound.)
0: Makes an effort to always resist, or symptoms so minimal, doesn’t need to actively resist.
1: Tries to resist most of the time.
2: Makes some effort to resist.
3: Yields to all (thoughts about) misophonic triggers without attempting to control them, but does so with some reluctance.
4: Completely and willing yields to all obsessions.
Q5. How much control do you have over your thoughts about the misophonic triggers? How successful are you in stopping or diverting your thinking about the misophonic triggers? Can you dismiss them?
0: Complete control.
1: Much control – usually able to stop or divert thoughts about misophonic triggers.
2: Moderate control – sometimes able to stop or divert thoughts about misophonic triggers.
3: Little control – rarely successful in stopping or dismissing thoughts about misophonic triggers, can only divert attention with difficulty.
4: No control – experience thoughts as completely involuntary, rarely able to alter thinking about misophonic triggers.
Q6. Have you been avoiding doing anything, going any place, or being with anyone because of your misophonia? (How much do you avoid, for example, by using other loud sounds, such as music?)
0: No deliberate avoidance.
1: Mild, minimal avoidance. Less than an hrs/day or occasional avoidance.
2: Moderate, some avoidance. 1 to 3 hrs/day or frequent avoidance.
3: Severe, much avoidance. Greater than 3 up to 8 hrs/day. Very frequent avoidance.
4: Extreme very extensive avoidance. Greater than 8 hr/day. Doing almost everything you can to avoid triggering symptoms.
Finally:
What would be the worst thing that could happen to you if you were not able to avoid the misophonic triggers?
Describe:
_________________________________________________
The sum score of these questions determines the severity rating as follows:
– 0-4: Subclinical (meaning you do not need treatment)
– 5-9: Mild
– 10-14: Moderate
– 15-19: Severe
– 20-24: Extreme
Schröder, Vulink, & Denys, 2013. Note: This form has been modified by replacing “sounds” with “triggers” to include visual and sound triggers.