Anxiety Scale for Preschool Children, SACS Test - the question form
Questions: 28 · 6 minutes
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1. Has difficulty calming down when worried or anxious.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
2. Worries that he/she will do something that will make him/her look foolish in front of other people.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
3. Checks whether he/she did something correctly (e.g., locked the door, turned off the tap).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
4. Because of worry, becomes tense, restless and impatient, or irritable.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
5. Is afraid to ask an adult for help (e.g., a teacher/caregiver).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
6. Is reluctant to fall asleep without you or to fall asleep away from home (e.g., at someone else's house).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
7. Is afraid of heights (being in high places).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
8. Has trouble sleeping because of worry.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
9. Washes hands many times each day.
1 – Not true at all
2 – Seldom true
3 – Sometimes true
4 – Quite often true
5 – Almost always true
10. Is afraid of being in crowded or enclosed places.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
11. Is afraid to meet or talk with unfamiliar people.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
12. Worries that something bad might happen to his or her parents.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
13. Is afraid of thunderstorms.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
14. Spends a large part of each day worrying about different things.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
15. Is afraid to speak in front of the class (or preschool group), for example when needing to show or tell something.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
16. Worries that something bad might happen to him/her (e.g., getting lost or being kidnapped) and that he/she will not see you again.
1 – Never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Almost always
17. Gets nervous when getting ready to go swimming.
1 – No, never happens
2 – Happens very rarely
3 – Happens sometimes
4 – Happens quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
18. Thinks he/she has to do things in a very exact order (or place things in a certain position) to prevent something bad from happening.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
19. Worries that he/she will do something embarrassing in front of other people.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
20. Is afraid of insects and/or spiders.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
21. He/she has bad or silly thoughts or images that keep coming back over and over again.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
22. Becomes very distressed when you leave him or her at preschool/school or with a babysitter.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
23. Is afraid to approach a group of children and join in their play.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
24. Is afraid of dogs.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
25. Has nightmares about not being with you.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
26. Is afraid of the dark.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
27. Believes that they must think special thoughts (for example, imagine certain numbers or say certain words) to prevent something bad from happening.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
28. Seeks reassurance (or encouragement) even when it does not seem necessary.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Fairly often
5 – Yes, almost always
1. Has difficulty calming down when feeling worried or anxious.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
2. Worries that she will do something that will make her look silly in front of other people.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
3. Checks whether she has done something correctly (e.g., closed the door, turned off the tap).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
4. Becomes tense, restless, impatient, or irritable due to worry.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
5. Is afraid to ask an adult for help (e.g., a teacher).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
6. Is reluctant to fall asleep without you, or to fall asleep away from home (e.g., when staying with others).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
7. Is afraid of heights (being in high places).
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
8. Has sleep problems due to worry.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
9. Washes their hands many times each day.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
10. Is afraid of being in crowded or enclosed places.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
11. Is afraid to meet or talk with unfamiliar people.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
12. Worries that something bad might happen to her parents.
1 – Never true
2 – Very rarely true
3 – Sometimes true
4 – Quite often true
5 – Almost always true
13. Is afraid of thunderstorms.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
14. Spends a large part of each day worrying about different things.
1 – Not true at all
2 – Very rarely true
3 – Sometimes true
4 – Quite often true
5 – Almost always true
15. Is afraid of speaking in front of the class (or preschool group), for example when needing to show or tell something.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
16. Worries that something bad might happen to her (e.g., getting lost or being kidnapped) and that she will not see you again.
1 – No, never happens
2 – Happens very rarely
3 – Happens sometimes
4 – Happens quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
17. Gets nervous about going swimming.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
18. Thinks they must do things in exactly the right order (or place them in a certain position) so that nothing bad will happen.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
19. Worries that she will do something embarrassing in front of other people.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
20. Is afraid of insects and/or spiders.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
21. Has bad or silly thoughts or pictures that keep coming back again and again.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
22. Gets very upset when you leave her at preschool/school or with a babysitter.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
23. Is afraid to approach a group of children and join in their play.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
24. Is afraid of dogs.
1 – No, never
2 – Extremely rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
25. Has nightmares about being separated from you.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
26. Is afraid of the dark.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always
27. Believes they must think special thoughts (for example, imagining certain numbers or saying certain words) to prevent something bad from happening.
1 – Not true at all
2 – Very rarely true
3 – Sometimes true
4 – Quite often true
5 – Almost always true
28. Seeks reassurance (or encouragement) even when it does not seem necessary.
1 – No, never
2 – Very rarely
3 – Sometimes
4 – Quite often
5 – Yes, almost always