An example case
A seven year old boy has become to fearful to go outside because of a fear of dogs. When asked about what he likes he says he loves taking care of his granny and chose a pink heart marker to express this. He chose which side was to be the ‘happy’ side and we put a marker on it.
When asked when he started to become afraid of dogs he chooses a stone and places this marker on six and the facilitator makes a note of this in to track the changes. He explains he was in the park looking after his granny and a big dog came over. A title and an emotion were found that described this event (framed in the positive and objectively).
Some processes are carried out and the boy is asked what number on the scale would best express his (feelings) subjective experience. See below for the results after the processes.
After the first process, he becomes calmer and places his marker further down on four. He explains he feels responsible for his granny.
After the second process he places the marker on the other side of the ‘V’ and says it is a seven and he is ‘happy’. When asked some questions he explains that his internal image of the the time in the park is of himself an his granny being happy. There is a dog but it is small and away in the far corner of the park.
His perspective has changed and now he feels calm about the event and feels he can go out and play football. He walks my dogs and is excited about that.
The ‘V Scale’ gave us the opportunity to teach him about using numbers to measure his subjective experiences and the openness of it enabled us to see how much his perception had changed.
How to use the SMSE or V Scale
Easy to notate key times of excitement, upsets, disturbances, distress, and traumas as well as neutral states, powerful joys, experiences of freedom, exhilaration and relaxation.
One side is used for pleasures and excitements and the other side is used for upsetting and traumatic times.
Either side can be chosen.
Download the V scale PDF. Print the page and laminate. Water washable pens can then be used.
Counters such as shells, pebbles, buttons, counters, crystals or plastic can be used to show the strength of the emotion before, during and after the process.
SMSE © copyright Carol Robertson Psychosensory Academy TM
How can we measure feelings and emotional responses?
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How can we measure our own feelings and emotional responses?
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How do we measure what someone else is feeling?
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How can we help a person measure what they are feeling?
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How can we measure changes in our own feelings and emotional responses?
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How do we measure the changes of feeling and emotional response a person is experiencing?
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How can we help a person measure the changes they are experiencing?
A numerical version of the V Scale or SMSE
This scale can be used to note and measure the strength of feeling we have when we remember an experience we once had or are imagining having. In the course of using processes which change our emotional responses to memories it is useful to be be able to map the changes we experience. This scale can be used to map both the highs and the lows and also show when people have a wide shift in their perception.
Carol Robertson developed this scale for measuring subjective experiences and because it is shaped like a V it has come to be called the V scale.
subjective
adjective
1. Existing in the mind; belonging to the
thinking subject rather than to the object of thought (opposed to objective).
subjective in Medicine
1. Of, relating to, or designating a symptom or condition perceived by the patient and not by the examiner.
2. Existing only in the mind; illusory.
Scale for Measuring Subjective Experience (SMSE) or ‘ V Scale’