Diagnostic Efficiency of Caregiver Report on the SCARED for Identifying Youth Anxiety Disorders in Outpatient Settings

J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2018;47(sup1):S161-S175. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2016.1188698. Epub 2016 Aug 2.

Abstract

This study investigated the diagnostic and clinical utility of the parent-rated Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED-P) for detecting youth anxiety disorders. Youth ages 6 to 12 years, 11 months were recruited from 9 outpatient mental health clinics (N = 707). Consensus diagnoses were based on semistructured interviews (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children) with youth and caregivers; 31% were diagnosed with at least one anxiety disorder. Caregivers completed the SCARED-P to describe youth anxiety levels. SCARED-P scores were not considered during the consensus diagnoses. Areas under the curve (AUCs) from receiver operating characteristic analyses and diagnostic likelihood ratios (DLRs) quantified performance of the SCARED-P total score and subscale scores (generalized anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder). SCARED-P total scores had variable efficiency (AUCs = .69-.88), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Separation Anxiety subscale scores were excellent (AUCs = .86-.89) for identifying specific anxiety disorders. Optimal subscale cutoff scores were computed to help rule in (DLRs = 2.7-5.4) or rule out (DLRs < 1.0) anxiety disorders among youth. Results suggest that the Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Separation Anxiety SCARED-P subscales accurately identify their respective matched diagnoses. DLRs may aid clinicians in screening for youth anxiety disorders and improve accuracy of diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology*
  • Anxiety Disorders / therapy
  • Caregivers / psychology*
  • Caregivers / standards*
  • Child
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Emotions / physiology
  • Fear / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Mass Screening / standards*
  • Outpatients / psychology*
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Treatment Outcome