Screening Tool : Anxiety (SCARED, 5-item) in Children/Youth : eMentalHealth.ca

This survey is designed to provide a quick assessment of whether or not a child/youth might have signs and symptoms related to anxiety. However, no test is 100% accurate. No matter what your score is, you should seek help if you have any concerns about yourself or your loved ones.

This questionnaire is the SCARED (5-item), and is meant to be filled out by a child/youth.

Please ask the child/youth to fill out the following:

Below is a list of sentences that describe how people feel.

Read each phrase and decide if it is

“Not True or Hardly Ever True” (0)
“Somewhat True or Sometimes True” (1) or
“Very True or Often True” for you (2)

Then, for each sentence, fill in one circle that corresponds to the response that seems to describe you for the last 3 months.

I get really frightened for no reason at all.

	Not true or hardly ever true
	Somewhat true or sometimes true
	Very true or often true

I am afraid to be alone in the house.

	Not true or hardly ever true
	Somewhat true or sometimes true
	Very true or often true

People tell me that I worry too much.

	Not true or hardly ever true
	Somewhat true or sometimes true
	Very true or often true

I am scared to go to school.

	Not true or hardly ever true
	Somewhat true or sometimes true
	Very true or often true

I am shy.

	Not true or hardly ever true
	Somewhat true or sometimes true
	Very true or often true

Special thanks to Dr. Boris Birmaher for permission to use the SCARED (5-item).

For more information about this screening tool:

Birmaher B, Brent D, Chiapetta L, Bridge J, Monga S, Baugher M: Psychometric Properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Emotional Disorders (SCARED): A Replication Study, J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1999; 38(10): 1230-1236. Sensitivity is 74% and the specificity is 73%. [PubMed URL]

Catchment Specific URL (Toronto)

Screening Tool: Anxiety (SCARED, 5-item) in Children/Youth