Screening & Assessment Tools for the Pediatric Practice
Screening & Assessment Tools referenced below are evidenced based, free for use, and accessible by public domain
*disclaimer: Use of mental health screening tools does not constitute diagnosis. If you or anyone else you know of is experiencing mental health concerns, please contact your primary care physician, a mental health professional, or contact the services listed on the "Crisis Support" page
- screening & assessment measures specific to a disorder, concern, or problem area
- screening & assessment measures that are broad based, targeting generalized problem areas
- show all accessible screening & assessment measures
ADHD Rating Scale IV - Preschool Version
ADHD Rating Scale IV - Preschool Version
age range:
3 - 5
The ADHD Rating Scale-IV obtains parent ratings regarding the frequency of each ADHD symptom based on DSM-IV criteria. Parents are asked to determine symptomatic frequency that describes the child’s home behavior over the previous 6 months. The ADHD Rating Scale-IV is completed independently by the parent and scored by a clinician. The scale consists of 2 subscales: inattention (9 items) and hyperactivity-impulsivity (9 items). If 3 or more items are skipped, the clinician should use extreme caution in interpreting the scale. Results from this rating scale alone should not be used to make a diagnosis.
english
ADHD
spanish
Vanderbilt
NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scale Diagnostic Rating Scale
age range:
6 - 12
The Vanderbilt Assessment Scale is a 55-question assessment tool that reviews symptoms of ADHD. It also looks for other conditions such as conduct disorder, oppositional-defiant disorder, anxiety, and depression.
english
ADHD
spanish
SNAP-IV
Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham (SNAP) Questionnaire – IV
age range:
6 - 18
The SNAP-IV 18-item scale is an abbreviated version of the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham (SNAP) Questionnaire (Swanson, 1992;Swanson et al., 1983). Items from the DSM-IV criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are included for the two subsets of symptoms: Inattention (items 1–9) and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (items 10–18).
english
ADHD
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GAD-7
Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment
age range:
13+
The Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) is a seven-item instrument that is used to measure or assess the severity of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Each item asks the individual to rate the severity of his or her symptoms over the past two weeks.
english
Anxiety
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SCARED
Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders
age range:
8 - 18
The SCARED is a child and parent self-report instrument used to screen for childhood anxiety disorders including general anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia. In addition, it assesses symptoms related to school phobias.
english
Anxiety
spanish
SCAS
Spence Children's Anxiety Scale
age range:
preschool version 2.5 - 6.5; child version 8 - 15
The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is a psychological questionnaire designed to identify symptoms of various anxiety disorders, specifically social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder/agoraphobia, and other forms of anxiety, in children and adolescents between ages 8 and 15. Developed by Susan H. Spence and available in various languages, the 45 question test can be filled out by the child or by the parent. There is also another 34 question version of the test specialized for children in preschool between ages 2.5 and 6.5. Any form of the test takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
english
Anxiety
spanish
M-CHAT-R
Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised
age range:
16 - 30 months
The M-CHAT-R, which stands for Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up, is a screening tool for parents to assess their child's risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).The M-CHAT-R/F is an autism screening tool designed to identify children 16 to 30 months of age who should receive a more thorough assessment for possible early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or developmental delay.
english
Autism
spanish
EPDS
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
age range:
18+
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a set of 10 screening questions that can indicate whether a parent has symptoms that are common in women with depression and anxiety during pregnancy and in the year following the birth of a child.
english
Depression
spanish
PHQ-9
Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 item
age range:
12+
The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) is a self-administered version of the PRIME-MD diagnostic instrument for common mental disorders. The PHQ-9 is the depression module, which scores each of the 9 DSM-IV criteria as “0” (not at all) to “3” (nearly every day).
english
Depression
spanish
PHQ-9A
Patient Health Questionnaire - 9A (modified for teens)
age range:
13 - 18
The PHQ-9 is the nine item depression scale of the patient health questionnaire.* It is one of the most validated tools in mental health and can be a powerful tool to assist clinicians with diagnosing depression and monitoring treatment response. The nine items of the PHQ-9 are based directly on the nine diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder in the DSM 5.
english
Depression
spanish
SMFQ
Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire
age range:
6 - 18
The Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ-short), child version, is an 13 item subscale from a longer 33-item questionnaire (the original MFQ). This instrument should be used an indicator of depressive symptoms and not as a diagnostic tool and therefore does not indicate whether a child or adolescent has a particular disorder. Diagnoses of mental disorder should only be made by a trained clinician after a thorough evaluation.
english
Depression
spanish
SWYC
The Survey of Well-being of Young Children
age range:
2 - 60 months
The Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC)™ is a freely-available, comprehensive screening instrument for children under 5 years of age. The SWYC was written to be simple to answer, short, and easy to read. The entire instrument requires 15 minutes or less to complete and is straightforward to score and interpret. The SWYC is approved by MassHealth for compliance with the Children's Behavioral Health Initiative screening guidelines. The SWYC is copyright © 2010 Tufts Medical Center. Every SWYC form includes sections on developmental milestones, behavioral/emotional development, and family risk factors. At certain ages, a section for Autism-specific screening is also included. Age-specific SWYC forms are available for each age on the pediatric periodicity schedule from 2 to 60 months.
english
Development
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EAT-26
Eating Attitudes Test
age range:
12 - 18+
The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT, EAT-26), created by David Garner, is a widely used self-report questionnaire 26-item standardized self-report measure of symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders. The EAT has been a particularly useful screening tool to assess "eating disorder risk" in high school, college and other special risk samples such as athletes. Screening for eating disorders is based on the assumption that early identification can lead to earlier treatment, thereby reducing serious physical and psychological complications or even death. Furthermore, EAT has been extremely effective in screening for anorexia nervosa in many populations.
english
Eating Disorders
spanish
PSC-17
Pediatric Symptom Checklist - 17 item
age range:
4 - 18
The Pediatric Symptom Checklist is a 17 item screening questionnaire listing a broad range of children's emotional and behavioral problems that reflects parents' impressions of their child's psychosocial functioning. The screen is intended to facilitate the recognition of emotional and behavioral problems so that appropriate interventions can be initiated as early as possible. The PSC-17 is used to screen for childhood emotional and behavioral problems including those of attention, externalizing, and internalizing.
english
Social-Emotional Development
spanish
PSC-Y-17
Pediatric Symptom Checklist - Youth - 17 item
age range:
11 - 18
The Pediatric Symptom Checklist - Youth - 17 is a 17 item screening questionnaire listing a broad range of behavioral and psychosocial problems in youth. The screen is intended to facilitate the recognition of emotional and behavioral problems so that appropriate interventions can be initiated as early as possible. The PSC-Y-17 is used to screen for emotional and behavioral problems including those of attention, externalizing, internalizing, and suicidal ideation.
english
Social-Emotional Development
spanish
PPSC
Preschool Pediatric Symptom Checklist
age range:
18 - 60 months
The Preschool Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PPSC) is a social/emotional screening instrument for children 18–60 months of age. The PPSC was created as one part of a comprehensive screening instrument designed for pediatric primary care and is modeled after the Pediatric Symptom Checklist.
english
Social-Emotional Development
spanish
CRAFFT
CRAFFT
age range:
14 - 21
The CRAFFT Screening Test is a short clinical assessment tool designed to screen for substance-related risks and problems in adolescents. CRAFFT stands for the key words of the 6 items in the second section of the assessment - Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble.
english
Substance Abuse
spanish
S2BI
Screening to Brief Intervention
age range:
12 - 17
The Screening to Brief Intervention (S2BI) tool consists of frequency of use questions to categorize substance use by adolescent patients ages 12-17 into different risk categories. The accompanying resources assist clinicians in providing patient feedback and resources for follow-up.
english
Substance Abuse
spanish
ASQ
Ask Suicide Screening Questions
age range:
10 - 24
The Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) Toolkit is a free resource for medical settings (emergency department, inpatient medical/surgical units, outpatient clinics/primary care) that can help nurses or physicians successfully identify youth at risk for suicide.
english
Suicide
spanish