The AAQ is a 9-item measure of experiential avoidance. This construct refers to the negative perception or evasion of personal thoughts and events. Such behavior has been associated with a range of clinical disorders from substance abuse to suicide. Each item in the scale depicts either an example of experiential avoidance or the lack there of (scores are reversed in the case of the latter). Respondents are to rate the frequency of each item on a 7-point Liker-type scale ranging from "never" to "always" true. Higher scores represent a greater degree of experiential avoidance.