Choosing Assessment Instruments for Anxiety Practice and Outcome Research With School-Aged Youth

Abstract

Using effect size results from our meta-analysis for the treatment of anxiety in school-aged youth, the practical and technical aspects of five commonly used anxiety instruments were analyzed, and effect size estimates compared to indicate the best choices for use in anxiety outcome research.

Online intervention to reduce pediatric anxiety: An evidence‐based review

“…Repeated negative feedback may reinforce unhealthy behaviors and compromise age‐appropriate development including social relationships and physical self‐care with exercise and nutrition (Bennett et al, ; Esch et al, ; Melnyk, Jacobson et al, ; Melnyk et al, ) The transformation of destructive behavior patterns occurs with early recognition and intervention by either teachers, parents or healthcare providers (Schleider & Weisz, ). These three influential and authoritative figures within a child's development must have regular collaborative communication, as their roles of care are distinct from each other, yet share a central focus in the child's wellbeing (Erford & Lutz, ). Appropriate identification of mental health problems, specifically symptoms of GAD, requires everyone involved with school‐age youth, especially those in a professional role to pay attention to all verbal and nonverbal cues.…”

“…There are multiple screening instruments developed and used to assess anxiety problems in school‐age youth (Erford & Lutz, ; James et al, ; Melnyk, Jacobson et al, ; Thombs et al, ). Five instruments were prioritized to be particularly useful for children with GAD: The State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, Second Edition, The Child Behavior Checklist, The Fear Survey Schedule for Children, Second edition, and the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule, Child version (Erford & Lutz, ).…”

“…There are multiple screening instruments developed and used to assess anxiety problems in school‐age youth (Erford & Lutz, ; James et al, ; Melnyk, Jacobson et al, ; Thombs et al, ). Five instruments were prioritized to be particularly useful for children with GAD: The State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, Second Edition, The Child Behavior Checklist, The Fear Survey Schedule for Children, Second edition, and the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule, Child version (Erford & Lutz, ). However, the intervention studies using the COPE program used the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) which includes five to seven questions aimed to identify those struggling with symptoms of GAD, and the Beck Youth Inventory screening instruments (Lusk & Melnyk, ; Melnyk et al, ; Melnyk, Jacobson et al, ).…”

“…The benefits of the SCARED instrument include that it is available for public use without a fee and is appropriate for all school‐age youth from a variety of countries and cultures (Hale, Crocetti, Raaijmakers, & Meeus, ; Lusk & Melnyk, ). A limitation of the SCARED instrument is that there are many different ways to screen youth with GAD and little standardization (Erford & Lutz, ).…”

“…Globally, an estimated 20% of school‐age youth experience some form of mental illness. Anxiety disorders are one of the top three mental health conditions affecting youth whereas suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescents aged 12–17 years (Center of Disease Control [CDC], ; Erford & Lutz, ; Melnyk, Amaya, Szalacha, & Hoying, ). Furthermore, in youth ages 6 to 12 years, approximately 80% of anxiety disorders and 60% of depressive disorders that are easy to diagnose are not receiving treatment (Child Mind Institute (CMI), ).…”