What is the SCARED used for?

The SCARED, Parent version is a screening questionnaire that helps clinicians identify anxiety disorders in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18. A caregiver rates 41 statements, and the resulting total and subscale scores flag children who may benefit from a fuller diagnostic assessment for panic, generalized, separation, or social anxiety.

How many items are on the SCARED and how is it scored?

The SCARED has 41 items, each rated 0 for not true or hardly ever true, 1 for somewhat or sometimes true, and 2 for very or often true. Summing every item produces a total from 0 to 82, where higher scores reflect more anxiety symptoms reported by the caregiver.

What SCARED score suggests an anxiety disorder?

A total score of 25 or higher may indicate the presence of an anxiety disorder, and scores above 30 are more specific. These are screening thresholds, not diagnoses, so a positive result prompts follow-up rather than confirming a condition. Reviewing the five subscales adds useful detail.

What is the difference between the parent and child SCARED?

Both versions contain 41 parallel items and the same scoring, but one is completed by a caregiver and the other by the child. Parent and child reports often differ, so collecting both gives clinicians a fuller picture. The parent version captures behaviors a child may not report themselves.

What anxiety domains does the SCARED measure?

The SCARED maps to five domains: panic and somatic symptoms, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, social anxiety, and significant school avoidance. Each has its own subscale cutoff, so clinicians can see which type of anxiety predominates rather than relying on the total score alone.

Is the SCARED free to use?

The SCARED was developed by Birmaher and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh and is made available with permission for clinical and research use. It is not a proprietary, paywalled instrument, though you should always confirm current permissions before adopting it in your practice.

SCARED Parent Form | Template & auto-scoring

The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders, Parent version (SCARED) is a 41-item questionnaire that a parent or caregiver completes about a child aged 8 to 18. It screens for common childhood anxiety disorders, including panic, generalized, separation, and social anxiety, and flags children who may need a fuller diagnostic assessment.

Why healthcare providers use the SCARED

Early identification. Anxiety disorders often go unrecognized in children, and a structured screen surfaces symptoms that may not come up during a brief visit.
Broad symptom coverage. One form covers panic, generalized, separation, and social anxiety plus school avoidance, so several conditions are screened at once.
Caregiver perspective. Parents observe behaviors a child may not report, making the parent version a useful complement to child self-report.
Measurable baseline. A numeric total gives clinicians a reference point to compare against on later visits.
Efficient triage. A quick score helps decide which children need a fuller diagnostic evaluation.

Which settings use the SCARED?

Pediatric primary care. Used at well-child and follow-up visits to screen for anxiety alongside other developmental concerns.
Child and adolescent mental health. Clinicians use it at intake and during treatment to characterize anxiety symptoms and track them.
School-based and behavioral health. Counselors and clinicians use it when a child shows avoidance or distress affecting school attendance.
Research and outcome tracking. Applied as a standardized measure in studies of pediatric anxiety and its treatment.

What does the SCARED measure?

The SCARED asks a caregiver to rate how true each of 41 statements has been for their child over roughly the last three months. Responses map onto symptom domains that align with common childhood anxiety disorders, along with a set of items covering significant school avoidance.

Panic and somatic symptoms. Physical signs of anxiety such as racing heart, dizziness, and shakiness.
Generalized anxiety. Excessive, hard-to-control worry that spans many situations.
Separation and social anxiety. Distress about being away from caregivers, and fear or avoidance of social and performance situations.
Significant school avoidance. Reluctance, fear, or refusal related to attending school.

Scoring the SCARED

Number of items. 41 statements completed by a parent or caregiver.
Per-item scale. Each item is rated 0 (not true or hardly ever true), 1 (somewhat or sometimes true), or 2 (very or often true).
Total score range. 0 to 82, the sum of all 41 items.
Score direction. Higher totals reflect more anxiety symptoms reported.

The SCARED is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Scores can be affected by a caregiver's own perspective and by transient stressors, and parent and child reports often differ. Use the total together with the subscale pattern, clinical interview, and history to guide clinical decision-making rather than relying on a cutoff alone.

Score	Interpretation	Suggested next step
0 to 24	Below the screening threshold for an anxiety disorder	Monitor and rescreen if concerns arise
25 to 30	May indicate the presence of an anxiety disorder	Consider further assessment
31 to 82	More specific for an anxiety disorder	Consider fuller diagnostic evaluation

Best practices for administration

Screen the right age range. The SCARED is designed for children aged 8 to 18; pair it with the child self-report version where appropriate.
Use a consistent recall window. Ask the caregiver to reflect on the same recent period each time so scores stay comparable.
Combine parent and child reports. The two versions can diverge, so collecting both gives a fuller picture of the child's anxiety.
Review subscales, not just the total. The five domains help point toward which type of anxiety predominates.
Rescreen to track change. Re-administer at follow-up visits to see whether symptoms are improving over time.
Confirm before concluding. A positive screen prompts follow-up, not a diagnosis on its own.

How Zentake helps with the SCARED

Automatic scoring. Zentake totals the SCARED on submit, so there is no hand-tallying of 41 items.
Longitudinal tracking. Re-send the form on a schedule and view how a child's scores change over time.
Before the visit. Pediatrics practices can have families complete it from home on any device so the clinician starts informed.
HIPAA compliant. Responses are encrypted, with a signed BAA on every plan.

References

Birmaher B, Khetarpal S, Brent D, et al. 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;36(4):545-553. This is the primary validation source for the 41-item scale. The scored form is distributed by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Scoring guidance, including the total cutoff of 25 (with scores above 30 more specific) and the panic, generalized, separation, social, and school avoidance subscale thresholds, follows the SCARED scoring aide made available with permission from Boris Birmaher, MD, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh.

Last updated: August 2026

SCARED Parent Form