Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
The BAI is a brief, self-report assessment for measuring anxiety and its severity level. It consists of 21 items each describing a common symptom of anxiety, which respondents rate based on their experience over the past week. The assessment helps clinicians and researchers assess anxiety levels and monitor changes over time. It is widely used in both clinical and research settings due to its reliability and validity.
Who Can Use?
The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) is copyrighted. The rights are held by Pearson Education, Inc. and a fee is required for its use. If you need to use it for clinical or research purposes, you’ll need to obtain permission and possibly pay a licensing fee.
Where Can I Find this Assessment?
This assessment is available through Pearson Education, Inc. at: https://www.pearsonassessments.com/store/usassessments/en/Store/Professional-Assessments/Personality-%26-Biopsychosocial/Beck-Anxiety-Inventory/p/100000251.html .
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS)
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) was created in 1995 by psychologists Sydney H. Lovibond and Peter F. Lovibond. It measures three related negative emotional states: depression, anxiety and stress. The DASS is designed for adults and is available in two versions: The DASS-21 and the DASS-42, with 21 and 42 items respectively. This self-report instrument helps in assessing the severity of these emotional states over the past week.
Who Can Use?
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) is a self-report instrument, meaning that no special qualifications are required to administer it. However, there are important distinctions regarding its interpretation:
Administration: Anyone can administer the DASS, including researchers, educators, and even individuals using it for self-assessment. It can be administered in paper form or electronically.
Interpretation: For general use (e.g., research or self-monitoring), interpretation can be done using the scoring guidelines provided in the DASS manual.
For clinical use, especially when individuals are experiencing high levels of distress or have sought professional help, interpretation should be conducted by someone with appropriate training in psychological science—such as a clinical psychologist or other qualified mental health professional.
Where Can I Find this Assessment?
This assessment is available here: https://maic.qld.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/DASS-21.pdf
Citations
Ali AM, Alkhamees AA, Hori H, Kim Y, Kunugi H. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21: Development and Validation of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8-Item in Psychiatric Patients and the General Public for Easier Mental Health Measurement in a Post COVID-19 World. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 27;18(19):10142. doi: 10.3390/ijerph181910142. PMID: 34639443; PMCID: PMC8507889.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7)
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale is a self-administered tool designed to screen for and assess the severity of the generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It consists of seven questions that measure the frequency of anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks, with responses ranging from “not at all” to “nearly every day”. The total score helps determine the severity of anxiety, categorized as minimal, mild, moderate or severe. The GAD-7 is widely used in both clinical settings and research due to its simplicity, reliability and validity.
Who Can Use?
The GAD-7 is a versatile tool used by a variety of professionals and individuals. While originally developed for adults, it has been validated for use with adolescents aged 14 and older. It can be used by healthcare providers, researchers, in primary care settings and for self-assessment. The GAD-7 is appreciated for is simplicity and effectiveness, making it a popular choice across various settings.
Where Can I Find this Assessment?
This assessment is available here: https://www.apaservices.org/practice/reimbursement/health-registry/anxiety-disorder-response.pdf.
Citations
RL Spitzer et al. A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder. 166(10) Arch Intern Med 1092-1097. 2006.
RP Swinson. The GAD-7 Scale was Accurate for Diagnosing Generalised Anxiety Disorder. 11(6) Evid Based Med 184. 2006.
Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS or HAM-A)
The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, also known as the HARS or HAM-A helps detect the extensiveness of anxiety using clinical ratings to help better understand individuals with already diagnosed conditions. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale is a clinician-administered questionnaire designed to assess the severity of a patient’s anxiety symptoms. It consists of 14 items each rated on a scale from 0 (not present) to 4 (severe), covering both psychic anxiety (mental agitation) and somatic anxiety (physical symptoms). The total score ranges from 0-56, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety. Developed by Max Hamilton in 1959, it remains widely used in both clinical and research settings.
Who Can Use?
Clinicians
Where Can I Find this Assessment?
The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale is in the public domain. However, here is a link to the assessment: https://dcf.psychiatry.ufl.edu/files/2011/05/HAMILTON-ANXIETY.pdf.
Citations
- Hamilton M. The assessment of anxiety states by rating. Br J Med Psychol 1959; 32:50–55.
- Maier W, Buller R, Philipp M, Heuser I. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale: reliability, validity and sensitivity to change in anxiety and depressive disorders. J Affect Disord 1988;14(1):61–8.
- Borkovec T and Costello E. Efficacy of applied relaxation and cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. J Clin Consult Psychol 1993; 61(4):611–19.