Questionnaire-Description

The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders – Child Version (SCARED-C) is a tool designed to identify and assess emotional disorders related to anxiety in children and adolescents. This questionnaire is used to diagnose anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, specific phobias, and panic disorder.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data Analysis: Analyzing data from the SCARED-C involves evaluating the responses provided by children to the questionnaire items. Each question is typically rated on a Likert scale, where children indicate the frequency or intensity of the symptoms they experience.
Data Collection: Children complete the questionnaire under the supervision of a healthcare professional or educator.
Score Calculation: Scores for each item are aggregated to produce a total anxiety score. The SCARED-C may also provide subscale scores for different anxiety disorders.
Score Analysis: The total score and subscale scores are used to assess the severity of symptoms and determine whether a child has an anxiety disorder. The data also help monitor treatment progress and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
Analysis includes evaluating the reliability of the tool (e.g., internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha) and its validity (e.g., comparisons with other anxiety scales).

Purpose

The primary objective of the SCARED-C is to provide a reliable method for diagnosing and assessing emotional disorders related to anxiety in children and adolescents. The tool aims to identify anxiety disorders and facilitate intervention and treatment to improve the mental health of children.

Calibration

The calibration of the SCARED-C involves validating the scale through assessing its reliability and validity:
Internal Consistency: Evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha to ensure that the questionnaire items are consistent and measure the same dimension of anxiety.
Validity: Includes comparisons with other scales measuring anxiety and clinical assessments to confirm that the SCARED-C effectively measures anxiety disorders.

References

Birmaher, B., Brent, D. A., & Hegerl, U. (1997). The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED): Development and Psychometric Properties. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 36(4), 545-553.
Birmaher, B., & Brent, D. A. (2004). Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders – Child Version (SCARED-C): A Comprehensive Overview. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 18(4), 581-603.
Pediatric Anxiety Disorders Study Group. (2003). Validation of the SCARED for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 32(3), 492-500.