Anxiety Spectrum

Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ)

What this looks at

The PSWQ measures chronic, excessive worry — especially worry that feels difficult to control.

You may want to take this if you:

• Worry about multiple areas of life most days
• Find it hard to “turn off” your thoughts
• Feel mentally restless or preoccupied

You may not need this if:

Your anxiety is limited to specific situations (e.g., social settings only).

This measure focuses specifically on generalized worry.

Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS – Child)

What this looks at

This self-report measure assesses anxiety symptoms in children, including social anxiety, separation anxiety, panic, fears, and generalized worry.

You may want to take this if:

• You are a child or adolescent experiencing anxiety symptoms
• You want to describe your own internal fears and worries

Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS – Parent)

What this looks at

This parent-report measure evaluates anxiety symptoms observed in a child.

You may want to complete this if:

• You are concerned about your child’s anxiety
• Your child avoids situations or appears fearful

Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS – Child)

What this looks at

This measure evaluates both anxiety and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents across multiple anxiety subtypes.

You may want to take this if:

• You want a broader child assessment covering both anxiety and mood
• Anxiety and low mood seem to overlap

Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS – Parent)

What this looks at

This parent-report version assesses anxiety and depression symptoms in children.

You may want to complete this if:

• You want to provide observational input alongside your child’s self-report

Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS)

What this looks at

The PDSS measures frequency and severity of panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety, and avoidance related to panic.

You may want to take this if you:

• Experience sudden episodes of intense fear or physical symptoms (e.g., heart racing, shortness of breath)
• Avoid places due to fear of panic attacks
• Want to track panic symptom severity

You may not need this if:

You do not experience panic attacks.

Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS)

What this looks at

This measure evaluates anxiety and avoidance in social interactions.

You may want to take this if you:

• Avoid social situations due to fear of embarrassment
• Feel intense distress in conversations or group settings
• Fear negative evaluation

You may not need this if:

Social situations are not a source of anxiety.

Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASAQ)

What this looks at

The ASAQ measures separation anxiety symptoms in adults, including excessive distress when apart from attachment figures.

You may want to take this if you:

• Feel intense anxiety when separated from a partner or loved one
• Fear abandonment beyond what feels typical
• Avoid independence due to separation fears

You may not need this if:

Separation is not a trigger for anxiety.

Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI)

What this looks at

The SHAI measures health-related anxiety, including fear of serious illness despite medical reassurance.

You may want to take this if you:

• Frequently worry about having a serious illness
• Repeatedly check symptoms or seek reassurance
• Find it difficult to trust medical evaluations

You may not need this if:

Health concerns are minimal or proportionate to medical conditions.

OCI-R (Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory – Revised)

What this looks at

The OCI-R measures obsessive-compulsive symptoms, including intrusive thoughts, checking, washing, ordering, hoarding, and mental rituals.

You may want to take this if you:

• Experience intrusive unwanted thoughts
• Perform repetitive behaviors to reduce anxiety
• Feel driven to check, clean, count, or arrange repeatedly

You may not need this if:

Repetitive behaviors are not anxiety-driven.

Obsessional Compulsive Inventory – Parent

What this looks at

This parent-report measure evaluates obsessive-compulsive symptoms in children.

You may want to complete this if:

• Your child shows repetitive rituals or intrusive fears

Obsessional Compulsive Inventory – Child

What this looks at

This child self-report version assesses obsessive-compulsive symptoms from the child’s perspective.

You may want this completed if:

• A child reports intrusive thoughts or feels compelled to perform rituals

Thought-Action Fusion Scale – Revised (TAF-R)

What this looks at

This measure assesses the belief that having a thought is morally equivalent to acting on it, or that thinking about an event makes it more likely to occur.

You may want to take this if you:

• Feel guilty for having unwanted thoughts
• Fear that thinking something “bad” increases its likelihood
• Are exploring obsessive-compulsive thought patterns

You may not need this if:

Intrusive thoughts are not a concern.

This measure explores a specific cognitive distortion common in OCD.