Home
Psychological tests
Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED)

Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) Test

In about 8 minutes, it clarifies whether a child’s anxiety is becoming a concern and where it shows up. 41 items with child and parent forms give a fuller view to guide next steps with a clinician.

Start Online Test

Questions: 418 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

28,373 views

1,956 completions

1,544 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

14/26

Panic Disorder/Somatic Symptoms (PDS)

The PR scale measures the severity of panic-related symptoms with physical (somatic) manifestations in a child.

Low

Elevated

0 – 6: Low | 7 – 26: Elevated

A score of 14 falls in the Elevated range, indicating a higher level of panic-related somatic symptoms on this screening scale.

example score

66/82

SCARED Total Score (STS)

The Total SCARED score summarizes overall anxiety symptom severity to help screen for possible anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.

Low

Elevated

High

0 – 24: Low | 25 – 29: Elevated | 30 – 82: High

A score of 66 falls in the High range, indicating markedly elevated anxiety symptoms on this screening measure.

example score

3/8

School Avoidance (SA)

Assesses the intensity of avoidance reactions related to attending school, which can reflect school-related fear and avoidance behaviors.

Low

Elevated

0 – 2: Low | 3 – 8: Elevated

A score of 3 falls in the Elevated range, suggesting a more pronounced school-avoidance reaction compared with lower scores.

example score

6/14

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Assesses the severity of symptoms associated with social anxiety in children.

Low

Elevated

0 – 7: Low | 8 – 14: Elevated

A score of 6 falls in the Low range, suggesting relatively few social anxiety symptoms on this scale.

example score

11/16

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Assesses the severity of separation-related anxiety symptoms associated with separation anxiety disorder in children.

Low

Elevated

0 – 4: Low | 5 – 16: Elevated

A score of 11 falls in the Elevated range (≥5), indicating a higher level of separation-related anxiety symptoms on this scale.

example score

5/18

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

The GTR scale screens for the severity of generalized anxiety symptoms in children.

Low

Elevated

0 – 8: Low | 9 – 18: Elevated

A score of 5 falls in the Low range, suggesting few generalized anxiety symptoms on this screening scale.

Start Online Test

just completed the test

DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Concerned parents of 8–11s

44%OF USERS

Parents who notice frequent worries, clinginess, sleep issues, or school refusal use the parent version to understand whether anxiety may be present.

School counselors and psychologists

33%OF USERS

School-based specialists use it for quick screening when a child shows distress, avoidance, or social withdrawal and needs a clearer picture of anxiety signs.

Pediatric and mental health clinicians

23%OF USERS

Clinicians in clinics or counseling centers use both child and parent forms to guide further assessment and plan next steps for support.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

Start Online Test

Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

PR (P)

Average

18.9

Normal range

14.3 — 23.6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Total SCARED Score (TSS)

Average

26.8

Normal range

15.6 — 37.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

AI-Psychologist (A)

Average

Normal range

3.9 — 6.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

SocTR (S)

Average

4.8

Normal range

2.4 — 7.2

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

SepTR (S)

Average

7.6

Normal range

5.2 — 9.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

GTR (G)

Average

6.4

Normal range

3.1 — 9.6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Start Online Test

Featured On

CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the questionnaire used for?

It is a brief screening tool used to identify signs of anxiety and to suggest which anxiety domains may need further evaluation.

Who can complete it?

It is intended for children ages 8 to 11 and includes a child form and a parent form to compare perspectives.

What types of anxiety symptoms does it cover?

It covers broad worry as well as symptom areas such as separation fear, panic-like symptoms, and social anxiety.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

It contains 41 items and typically takes about 8 minutes to complete.

How should results be interpreted?

Scores indicate level and pattern of symptoms but do not establish a diagnosis; clinical follow-up is recommended when scores are elevated. Interpretation should consider that some online versions may use a commonly used translation with limited published adaptation details.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) Test - Symptoms and Signs

uneasiness

This measure is a brief screening questionnaire for anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents. The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) is commonly used to identify the presence and pattern of anxiety-related concerns that may warrant further clinical evaluation.

It consists of 41 items and typically takes about 8 minutes to complete. Separate child- and parent-report forms may be used to support multi-informant assessment and to compare symptom endorsement across respondents.

Item content samples a range of anxiety presentations (e.g., generalized worry, separation-related anxiety, social anxiety, and panic-like symptoms), supporting preliminary differentiation of symptom domains. The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), developed by B. Birmaher, is intended for screening and monitoring purposes and should be interpreted in the context of clinical interview, developmental considerations, and other relevant assessment data.

Author: B. Birmaher

Literature: Birmaher, B., Khetarpal, S., Brent, D., Cully, M., Balach, L., Kaufman, J., & Neer, S. M. The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED): scale construction and psychometric characteristics. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1997.

Test Question Form