Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) - Parent Version
Welcome to the parent version of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED). This screening tool has been validated for children aged 8-18. This 41-question online test can help you understand if your child might be experiencing anxiety. Answering these questions will help you discover if there are any areas you might want to discuss with your child's doctor or mental health clinician.
How to Complete the SCARED Parent Report Questionnaire
Take a moment to think about how your child has been feeling and acting during the last 3 months. For each question, pick the answer that best shows how true each statement is for your child:
- Not True or Hardly Ever True
- Somewhat True or Sometimes True
- Very True or Often True
This test asks about different types of anxiety, like feeling worried, having physical symptoms like stomach aches, or feeling nervous in social situations. Your answers will help identify if your child might need professional support or evaluation.
Once you're done with the questionnaire, you can click the "View Results" button at the bottom of the page to see your answers. If you're unsure about any of the questions, you can always take the test again later.
After you finish, you can share your results with your child's doctor or mental health clinician to discuss any areas that might need attention.
Below is a list of sentences that describe how children feel. For each sentence, choose the answer that best describes how your child has been feeling during the last 3 months:
1. When my child feels frightened, it is hard for him/her to breathe.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
2. My child gets headaches when he/she is at school.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
3. My child doesn’t like to be with people he/she doesn't know well.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
4. My child gets scared if he/she sleeps away from home.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
5. My child worries about other people liking him/her.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
6. When my child gets frightened, he/she feels like passing out.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
7. My child is nervous.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
8. My child follows me wherever I go.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
9. People tell me that my child looks nervous.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
10. My child feels nervous with people he/she doesn’t know well.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
11. My child gets stomachaches at school.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
12. When my child gets frightened, he/she feels like he/she is going crazy.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
13. My child worries about sleeping alone.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
14. My child worries about being as good as other kids.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
15. When my child gets frightened, he/she feels like things are not real.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
16. My child has nightmares about something bad happening to his/her parents.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
17. My child worries about going to school.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
18. When my child gets frightened, his/her heart beats fast.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
19. He/she gets shaky.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
20. My child has nightmares about something bad happening to him/her.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
21. My child worries about things working out for him/her.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
22. When my child gets frightened, he/she sweats a lot.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
23. My child is a worrier.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
24. My child gets really frightened for no reason at all.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
25. My child is afraid to be alone in the house.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
26. It is hard for my child to talk with people he/she doesn’t know well.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
27. When my child gets frightened, he/she feels like he/she is choking.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
28. People tell me that my child worries too much.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
29. My child doesn't like to be away from his/her family.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
30. My child is afraid of having anxiety (or panic) attacks.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
31. My child worries that something bad might happen to his/her parents.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
32. My child feels shy with people he/she doesn’t know well.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
33. My child worries about what is going to happen in the future.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
34. When my child gets frightened, he/she feels like throwing up.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
35. My child worries about how well he/she does things.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
36. My child is scared to go to school.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
37. My child worries about things that have already happened.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
38. When my child gets frightened, he/she feels dizzy.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
39. My child feels nervous when he/she is with other children or adultsand he/she has to do something while they watch him/her (for example:read aloud, speak, play a game, play a sport).
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
40. My child feels nervous when he/she is going to parties, dances, or anyplace where there will be people that he/she doesn’t know well.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
41. My child is shy.
Not True or Hardly Ever True
Somewhat True or Sometimes True
Very True or Often True
Error: *This field is required.
View Results
References:
- Developed by Boris Birmaher, M.D., Suneeta Khetarpal, M.D., Marlane Cully, M.Ed., David Brent M.D., and Sandra McKenzie, Ph.D., Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh (10/95)
- Name: Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) - Parent Version
Please note: This mental health screening tool is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We recommend taking screenshots or printing your results to share with a doctor or healthcare provider. Mental Health Center Kids, LLC disclaims any liability, loss, or risk incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of these screens.