Comparing Parent and Child Self-report Measures of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in Children and Adolescents with a Chronic Health Condition

J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2020 Mar;27(1):173-181. doi: 10.1007/s10880-019-09631-5.

Abstract

Anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents with a chronic health condition have been estimated as high as 40% lifetime prevalence. Clinicians often rely on parent/caregiver information to supplement or substitute child self-report related to pediatric physical and mental health. We developed a caregiver proxy version (STAI-P) for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) State Anxiety Scale that was compared with a child self-report version in 201 parent-child dyads to evaluate its utility in measuring state anxiety in chronically ill youth. For patients aged 7-12, self-reports of state anxiety were moderately associated with parent distress and health provider-reported functional status, but negatively associated with parent STAI-P scores. For patients aged 13-17, self-reports of state anxiety were significantly associated with STAI-P scores, parent distress, and health provider-reported functional status. The STAI-P parent version may be a useful tool in identifying and addressing anxiety symptoms in youth living with a chronic health condition.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00824278.

Keywords: Assessment; Parent–child concordance; State anxiety; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chronic Disease / psychology*
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Parents / psychology*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / standards*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / statistics & numerical data
  • Self Report*

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00824278