ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGICAL RESILIENCE SCALE

Today’s adolescents may face serious problems, including natural disasters, loss of loved ones, separation of parents, or a move to a different home or school. The APRS reflects resiliency, consisting of internal and external sources of support. Mean scores of both the Well Adjusted and Resilient groups were higher than that the Vulnerable group, therefore supporting the construct validity of the APRS.

ADHD RATING SCALE-IV: HOME VERSION

A diagnosis of ADHD in a child depends on the type and number of symptoms that child is having and how those symptoms are affecting him or her.  A child’s primary caregivers answer questions about their child, which is then scored by a healthcare provider and is used in the process of making a diagnosis.

ALCOHOL USE DISORDER IDENTIFICATION TEST

The AUDIT is a 10-item screening tool developed by the World Health Organization to assess alcohol consumption, drinking behaviors, and alcohol-related problems. It has excellent clinical utility and is listed with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

APPEARANCE ANXIETY INVENTORY

The AAI is a self-report scale for assessing symptoms of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). It consists of 10 questions that a person endorses on a 5-point Likert scale. The AAI has the psychometric properties to determine whether changes in cognitive processes and behaviors can mediate the outcome following treatment in patients with BDD. This supports its potential usefulness in clinical and research settings

AUTISM SPECTRUM QUOTIENT-50

The AQ is 50 questions and was developed to measure the degree to which adults with normal intelligence have symptoms of autism. The AQ was published in 2001 at the Autism Research Center in Cambridge, UK.

AUTISM SPECTRUM QUOTIENT-10

The AQ-10 is a shortened version of the Adult Spectrum Quotient. It consists of only 10 questions and possesses comparable validity to the Adult Spectrum Quotient.

ATTITUDES TOWARD SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP

Attitude toward seeking professional help is complex. It can often result in unmet needs, treatment gaps, and delays in help-seeking. This tool evidences adequate internal consistency. Higher scores (indicating more positive treatment attitudes) were associated with less treatment-related stigma, and greater intentions to seek treatment in the future.

ATTITUDES TOWARD SELF

The ATS measures three potential self-regulatory vulnerabilities to depression: (1) overly high standards, (2) tendency to be self-critical of performance well, and (3) tendency to generalize from a single failure to the broader sense of self-worth. Please note that the tendency to generalize was significantly correlated with generalized anxiety and social phobia.

AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS QUESTIONNAIRE

The ATQ assesses negative thoughts that are associated with depression among adults. The ATQ has also been extended to children. Internal consistency and validity of the ATQ were evaluated with 250 child psychiatric inpatient children. The findings in relation to psychometric properties of the ATQ with children parallel those evident in the study of depression among adults.

BARRATT IMPULSIVENESS SCALE

The BIS is a 30-item self-report measure, and is one of the most commonly used scales for the assessment of impulsiveness. It has recently marked 50 years of use in research and clinical settings. The current BIS, the 11th version, measures 3 theoretical subtraits:
(1) attentional, (2) motor, and (3) non-planning impulsiveness.

BECK ANXIETY INVENTORY

The BAI consists of 21 items. It was developed in 1988 and a revised manual was published in 1993 with some changes in scoring. The BAI scores are classified as minimal anxiety, mild anxiety, moderate anxiety, and severe anxiety. When the BAI first came out, it demonstrated good reliability and validity on two separate studies. More about the BAI.

BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY

The BDI is a 21-item, self-report rating inventory that measures characteristic attitudes and symptoms of depression. The BDI takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Clients require a fifth – sixth grade reading level to adequately understand the questions. More about the BDI.

BORDERLINE SYMPTOM TEST

The BSL-23 is one of the newest self-report instruments designed to assess complaints and experiences commonly reported by patients with BPD.  Findings from this study indicate that the BSL-23 is strongly associated with DSM-IV BPD symptoms as assessed by a valid semi-structured interview. The BSL-23 also demonstrated sensitivity to the effects of therapy.

BRIEF PSYCHIATRIC RATING SCALE

The BPRS is a rating scale that characterizes psychopathology and measures change in clinical psychopharmacology research. The BPRS assesses psychotic symptoms of schizophrenic patients. Originally developed with 16 items, the following standard 18-item version has been used for more than 40 years to good effect.

BURDEN SCALE FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS

The BSFC is the most important caregiver-related variable in care at home of a chronically-ill person. Caregiver burden has significant impact on the emotional and physical health of the caregiver, and even influences the mortality of spouses of caregivers. The BSFC and BSFC-s (shortened version) are designed for use in both clinical practice and research studies.

CAGE-AID

CAGE-AID is a version of the CAGE alcohol screening questionnaire, adapted to include drug use (AID). The target population for the CAGE-AID is both adults and adolescents and can be administered by patient interview or self-report in a primary care setting.

CAREGIVER BURDEN SCALE

The Caregiver Burden Scale reflects how people sometimes feel when they are taking care of another person. It is a self-administered 22-item questionnaire that assesses the “experience of burden.”

CHILD ATTACHMENT CHECKLIST

The CAC measure symptoms children who have attachment disorders exhibit. this includes such lack of eye contact, aversion to touch, control issues, social detachment, anger problems,  frequent lying, cruel and destructive behavior, difficulty showing care, underdeveloped conscience, and unusual patterns of affection.

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR INVENTORY

Compared to existing questionnaires, the CABI has been organized so as to be of medium length, with items concerning the most significant symptoms indicated by the DSM-IV-TR for the pertinent disorders, and covering a wider range than existing instruments.

CENTER FOR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES DEPRESSION IN CHILDREN

The CES-DC is a 20-item self-report depression inventory for children and adolescents. The CES-DC demonstrates good psychometric properties for clinical screening and evaluation in both developed and underdeveloped countries.

CHILD DISSOCIATIVE EXPERIENCE SCALE AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS INVENTORY

CHILD DISSOCIATIVE CHECKLIST

The CDC compiles observations by an adult observer regarding a child’s behaviors and quantifies dissociative behavior for dimensional approaches and can categorize children into low and high dissociation groups. Also, the CDC seems to provide a reasonable indication of whether a child is improving over time or with treatment.

COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT TEST - 6 item

The 6-Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6CIT) is a brief cognitive function test and is widely used in primary care settings. The 6CIT correlates highly with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Some researchers suggest that the 6CIT has advantages over the MMSE in hospital settings. It shows good sensitivity for detecting mild dementia as well being culturally unbiased.

COGNITIVE SCREENING TEST - CLIENT EXAMINATION

A reliable, valid and efficient screening tool for dementia, specifically in primary care. The GPCOG performs at least as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), but it only takes 4 minutes to administer.  (See page 1 of the hard copy.)

COLUMBIA SUICIDE SEVERITY RATING SCALE

The C-SSRS supports suicide risk assessment through a series of simple, plain-language questions that anyone can ask. The answers help users identify whether someone is at risk for suicide, assess the severity and immediacy of that risk, and gauge the level of support that the person needs. The C-SSRS has sound psychometric studies as evidenced by multiple research studies.

COMPASSION AND FATIGUE TEST

Helping others puts people in direct contact with other people’s lives.  Those who help others have probably experienced their compassion for those they help in both positive and negative ways. This self-test helps them estimate their current compassion status and how much they are at risk of (a) burnout, (b) compassion fatigue, as well as (c) satisfaction they derive from helping others.

DEPRESSION ANXIETY STRESS SCALES-21

The DAAS is a shortened version of the original 42 question inventory. The development of the DASS was based on the tripartite model of depression and anxiety. DASS-depression focuses on reports of low mood, motivation, and self-esteem; DASS-anxiety on physiological arousal, perceived panic, and fear; and DASS-stress on tension and irritability.

DEPRESSION SELF-RATING SCALE FOR CHILDREN

The DSRS-C is based on the operational definition of depressive disorder, implying a duration of a specific affective behavior pattern where there is impairment in a child’s or adolescent’s ability to effectively function in his/her environment.

DRUG ABUSE SCREENING TEST

The DAST was developed in 1982 and is still an excellent screening tool. Its original version is 28-items that parallel those of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). The DAST has exhibited valid psychometric properties and has been found to be a sensitive screening instrument for the abuse of drugs other than alcohol.

DRINKING RELATED INTERNAL-EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL SCALE

This IS a highly reliable, multidimensional scale dealing with specific expectations concerning drinking behavior.  Its use may provide greater predictive power in the investigation of alcoholic personality traits, psychopathology, and drinking behavior than that provided by Rotter’s Internal-External Locus of Control Scale and other measures of generalized expectancy of control.

DRUG-RELATED LOCUS OF CONTROL

The DR-LOC is a 15-item, forced-choice measure of drug-use control expectancies in a variety of drug-use-related situations. Locus of control refers to internal states that explain why people actively deal with difficult circumstances. It concerns the beliefs that individuals hold regarding the relationships between action and outcome.

DYADIC ADJUSTMENT SCALE - REVISED

The DAS-R is a 14-item scale that measures relationship satisfaction.  The DAS-R gives a quick snapshot of multiple dynamics within a given relationship as well as an overall assessment of the stability of the relationship. The revised version offers improved psychometric properties, and can successfully differentiate between distressed and non-distressed relationships.

EDINBURGH POSTNATAL DEPRESSION SCALE

Postpartum depression affects at least 10 percent of women and many depressed mothers do not get proper treatment. The EPDS was developed to assist health professionals in detecting mothers suffering from Post-Partum Depression. The EPDS was shown to be suitable for screening for a Major Depressive Episode in the community.

EATING ATTITUDES TEST

This is the most widely used screening measure to help determine if someone has an eating disorder and is in need of professional attention. The EAT-26 measures symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders. In 1982, the test was updated and shortened to the current 26-item version, known as the EAT-26. It’s not designed to diagnose or to take the place of a professional consultation.

EPWORTH SLEEPINESS SCALE

The ESS was first introduced in 1991 by Dr. Murray Johns of the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and is a tool used to measure the average sleep propensity (ASP) of patients to assess their general level of sleepiness and determine if sleep disorders could be the cause of their problems.  Patients taking the questionnaire are asked questions regarding their likelihood of falling asleep during eight normal, low activity situations.

EXECUTIVE SKILLS QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CHILDREN

GERIATRIC DEPRESSION SCALE

The GDS is a self-report measure of depression in older adults, and a sound psychometric tool. The GDS was developed as a 30-item instrument.

GERIATRIC DEPRESSION SCALE - SHORT FORM

The GDS can be both time-consuming and difficult for some patients to complete, so a shortened form (GDS-SF) was developed, comprised of 15 items chosen from the GDS

INFORMANT QUESTIONNAIRE OF COGNITIVE DECLINE

The short form can be filled out by a relative or other supporter of an older person to determine whether that person has cognitive decline and can be used to screen for dementia. The short form was cross-validated using those diagnosed with dementia/delirium as the validity standard and was found to perform as well as the long form.

INTERPERSONAL SUPPORT EVALUATION LIST

The ISEL assesses the perceived availability of four separate social supports as well as an overall support measure. The items fall into (1) tangible or perception of material aid; (2) appraisal or availability of someone to talk to about one’s problems; (3) self-esteem or comparing one’s self to others; and (4) belonging or availability of people one can do things with.

IMPACT OF EVENTS SCALE - REVISED

The IES-R is a self-report measure designed to assess current subjective distress for any specific life event. It has 22 items. Seven items were added to the original 15-item IES. The 7 items comprise 6 that tap hyperarousal such as: anger and irritability, heightened startle response, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance; and 1 new intrusion item that taps the dissociative-like re-experiencing when experiencing true flash-back. The hyperarousal subscale and the new intrusion item along with the existing intrusion and avoidance subscales parallel the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. Psychometric information is available to support the efficacy of the IES-R as a tool for assessing the impact of traumatic experience on the victims of workplace bullying.

INSOMNIA SEVERITY INDEX RATING SCALE

The ISI is a 7-item self-report questionnaire assessing the nature, severity, and impact of insomnia. The total score is interpreted as follows: absence of insomnia (0–7); sub threshold insomnia (8–14); moderate insomnia (15–21); and severe insomnia (22–28). Study findings provide evidence that the ISI is a reliable and valid instrument to detect cases of insomnia in the population and is sensitive to treatment response in clinical patients.

KUTCHER ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION SCALE

The KADS is a self-report scale specifically designed to diagnosis and assess the severity of adolescent depression. It’s optimized for monitoring outcomes in adolescents who are receiving treatment for major depressive disorder. Its items address the core symptoms of depression, giving it the potential to have good predictive or criterion validity as well as good evaluative properties (i.e., the ability to assess change over time).

LEEDS DEPENDENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

The LDQ is derived from a psychological understanding of the nature of dependence. It is therefore suitable for measuring dependence during periods of substance use or abstinence. The LDQ is an indicator of how addicted a person is — and therefore how difficult it will be to achieve a positive outcome.  The questionnaire was designed to be sensitive to change over time and to be sensitive through the range from mild to severe dependence.

LIEBOWITZ SOCIAL ANXIETY SCALE

This measure assesses the way that social phobia plays a role in your life across a variety of situations. The LAS is a well-validated measure that can be used to screen clients for social anxiety disorder and measure their progress while in treatment. It is a 24-item measure designed to assess both fear and avoidance of social (e.g., going to a party, meeting strangers) and performance situations (e.g., taking a test, giving a report to a group) occurring in the last week.

MINDFUL ATTENTION AWARENESS SCALE

The MAAS is a 15-item scale designed to assess a core characteristic of dispositional mindfulness, namely, open or receptive awareness of and attention to what is taking place in the present. The scale shows strong psychometric properties and has been validated with college, community, and cancer patient samples. Correlational, quasi-experimental, and laboratory studies have shown that the MAAS taps a unique quality of consciousness that is related to, and predictive of, a variety of self-regulation and well-being constructs.

MINI MENTAL STATE EXAM

The or Folstein test is a 30-point questionnaire that is used extensively in clinical and research settings to measure cognitive impairment. It is commonly used in medicine and allied health to screen for dementia. It is a valid and reliable tool is also used to estimate the severity and progression of cognitive impairment and to follow the course of cognitive changes in an individual over time.

MEANING IN LIFE QUESTIONNAIRE

The MLQ is a 10-item self-report inventory designed to measure life meaning. The MLQ has solid psychometric properties, with good internal consistency, with coefficient alphas ranging in the low to high .80s for the Presence subscale and mid .80s to low .90s for the Search subscale. A main focus of logotherapy is the discovery of life meaning. Along these lines, logotherapy posits that: (1) there is meaning in life, (2) people are motivated by the Will to Meaning, and (3) people are free to find their own meaning.

MICHIGAN ALCOHOL SCREENING TEST - Geriatirc Version

The SMAST-G was developed as the first short-form alcoholism screening instrument tailored to the needs of older adults. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommend that a screening test like the SMAST-G be the first step in Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment.

MICHIGAN ALCOHOL SCREENING TEST - Short Form

The SMAST is a 13-item questionnaire that requires a 7th grade reading level, and only a few minutes to complete. It was developed from the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. Evaluation data indicate that it is an effective diagnostic instrument, and does not have a tendency for false positives, as does the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. It is strongly recommended that the DAST-10 be used along with the SMAST unless there is a clear indication that the client uses alcohol but does not use any other drug at all.

MOOD DISORDER QUESTIONNAIRE

The MDQ was developed by a team of psychiatrists, researchers and consumer advocates to address a critical need for timely and accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which can be fatal if left untreated. The questionnaire takes about five minutes to complete, and can provide important insights into diagnosis and treatment.

MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALE OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT

The MSPSS is a brief tool designed to measure perceptions of support from 3 sources: family, friends, and a significant other. It’s comprised of a total of 12 items, with 4 items for each subscale. An initial study describing the development of the MSPSS indicated that it was a psychometrically sound instrument: strong factorial validity was demonstrated, confirming the three-subscale structure of the MSPSS.

OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE INVENTORY REVISED

The OCI consists of 42 items and 7 subscales and is designed to report the frequency of and distress caused by each symptom. It is psychometrically sound, but disadvantaged  by length and redundancy.  The revised version was developed to address those problems. The OCI_R consists of 18 items and 6 subscales and is a sound psychometric measure of OCD and its various symptom presentations. The OCI-R consists of six distinct factors, demonstrates good convergent validity, and performs well in discriminating OCD from other anxiety disorders.

PARENT'S OBSERVATIONS OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

The Parent’s Observations of Social Interactions (POSI) is a seven-item screening instrument for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The POSI was created as one part of a comprehensive screening instrument designed for pediatric primary care, and is available at The Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children (SWYC).

PEDIATRIC SYMPTOM CHECKLIST 17

The PSC-17 is a brief screening questionnaire that is used by pediatricians and other health professionals to improve the recognition and treatment of psychosocial problems in children.The PSC-17 can help primary care providers assess the likelihood of finding any mental health disorder in their patient. The brief and easy to score PSC-17 has fairly good mental health screening characteristics, even when compared with much longer instruments like the CBCL (Child Behavior Checklist by T. Achenbach).

PENN STATE WORRY QUESTIONNAIRE

The PSWQ is a 16-item questionnaire that measures worry. Research shows it possesses high internal consistency and good test-retest reliability and a strong ability to differentiate patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) from other anxiety disorders. Since its development in 1990, the PSWQ has become a widely used self-report tool for pathological worry and GAD.

POST-TRAUMATIC COGNITIONS INVENTORY

The PTCI is derived from clinical observations and current theories of post-trauma psychopathology. The PTCI yields 3 factors: Negative Cognitions of Self, Negative Cognitions of the World, and Self-Blame. The 3 factors correlated well with measures of PTSD severity, depression, and general anxiety; and discriminated between traumatized individuals with and without PTSD.

QUANTITATIVE CHECKLIST FOR AUTISM IN TODDLERS

The Q-CHAT contains 25 items and was completed by parents of 779 toddlers with a mean age of 21 months and parents of 160 toddlers and preschoolers with a mean age 44 months with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The ASD group scored significantly higher on the Q-CHAT than controls. Full examination of the clinical validity of the Q-CHAT and test properties is underway.

RCOPE

ROSENBERG SELF ESTEEM MEASURE

The RSEM is a 10-item scale that measures global self-worth by measuring both positive and negative feelings about the self. The scale is believed to be uni-dimensional. All items are answered using a 4-point Likert scale format ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree.

SATISFACTION WITH THERAPY AND THERAPIST SCALE

Patients’ level of satisfaction with their therapeutic experience is a concept that is important for understanding treatment efficacy; however, patient satisfaction has received little empirical attention. The STTS developed for group psychotherapy was designed to assess patients’ level of satisfaction with their therapeutic endeavor.

SCALE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS

SELF-ASSESSMENT PERFECTIONISM SCREENING TEST

Perfectionism is a response to anxiety that can be damaging to relationships and performance. The SAPST can assess if there a person is struggling with perfectionism. Scoring five or more yes answers suggest a potential problem with perfectionism. This is a screening test only. For an accurate diagnoses, a qualified professional needs to perform a full assessment.

Sensory Checklist

STATIC-99R

The STATIC-99R is a risk assessment tool designed to assist in the prediction of sexual and violent recidivism among adult male sex offenders. It is not necessary to interview the offender to score the STATIC-99R.

SOCIAL INTERACTION ANXIETY SCALE

The SIAS is a 20 item self report scale designed to measure social interaction anxiety defined as “distress when meeting and talking with other people”. This tool is helpful in tracking social anxiety symptoms over time, and may be helpful as part of an assessment for social phobia or other anxiety related disorders. An exploratory factor analysis yielded three factors: (1) interaction anxiety, (2) anxiety about being observed by others, and (3) fear that others will notice anxiety symptoms. However, hierarchical factor analysis suggested that these factors all load on a single higher-order factor, social anxiety.

STRENGTHS AND DIFFICULTIES QUESTIONNAIRE

The SDQ is a brief behavioral screen for children and teens ages 4-17 year. This measure can be used to screen for risk for psychiatric disorders. The SDQ focuses on positive attributes as well as risk symptoms regarding the child or adolescent’s behavior in the past six months.

STRESS AND COPING SELF-TEST

SUICIDAL AFFECT BEHAVIOR COGNITION SCALE

The SABCS is a brief, public domain, reliable and valid measure of suicidality/suicide risk. It is appropriate for public screening, research, and clinical purposes, including the assessment of clinically meaningful changes in suicidality.

STAGES OF CHANGE READINESS AND TREATMENT EAGERNESS

The SOCRATES is designed for individuals seeking treatment for their alcohol problems. It is comprised of three factors: Recognition, Ambivalence, and Taking Steps. The SOCRATES yields scores related to (a) acceptance of their problems, (b) insight that their problems are destructive, and (c) if steps toward change are already being taken.

SURVEY OF WELL-BEING OF YOUNG CHILDREN

The SWYC is a freely-available, comprehensive, first-level developmental-behavioral screening instrument for children under 5 ½ years of age. See sample for 36 months here It was designed to be completed by parents or other caregivers in the context of children’s health supervision visits, but can also be used in child care, home visiting, and preschool settings. The SWYC Milestones assess the child’s cognitive, language, and motor development. The BPSC and PPSC assess behavioral and emotional symptoms for children under 18 months and from 18-66 months, respectively. The POSI assesses risk for autism spectrum disorder for children from 16-36 months. The Family Questions assess stress present in the child’s family environment, including parental depression, discord, substance abuse, food insecurity, and parent’s concerns about the child’s behavior, learning, or development.

TRAUMATIC GRIEF INVENTORY

People react in many different ways to bereavement and loss. Depression and anxiety symptoms are quite common. So too is traumatic grief which involves a cluster of symptoms, such as emotional numbing, re-experiencing and avoidance, which are similar too but not the same as the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder – PTSD

TEXAS REVISED INVENTORY OF GRIEF

Complicated grief is characterized by persistent yearning for the deceased, intense sorrow and emotional pain in response to death causing significant distress. Complicated grief is often under recognized and undertreated. The TRIG is a questionnaire that has been demonstrated to have high validity and reliability in the assessment of grief.

VANDERBILT ADHD DIAGNOSTIC PARENT AND TEACHER RATING SCALES

The Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (VADRS) is a psychological assessment tool for parents and teachers of children aged 6 to 12 designed to measure the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Developed by Mark Wolraich at the Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, this rating scale also includes items related to other disorders which are frequently comorbid with ADHD.