B-45: Differential Diagnosis of Anxiety Through Screeners

Abstract

Objective: The current study examined the ability of screeners, specifically regarding anxiety-related disorders, to specify diagnoses compared to longer-form report measures and to examine the agreement between the two. Method/Data Selection: The study analyzed diagnostic correlations with Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED: PN, GD, SP, and SC) and Conners Behavior Rating Scales, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Scales (CBRS: DSM count scales GAD, Panic disorder, Separation Anxiety disorder, Social Anxiety disorder). Using a clinical sample of 50 participants from a Midwestern neuropsychology clinic in a metropolitan area. Results/Data Synthesis: Multivariate analysis revealed that the SCARED was likely to predict a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (p = .002; η2 = .187), while the CBRS was predictive of a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (p = .024; η2 = .134), and the SCARED (p<.001; η2 = .314) and CBRS (p = .001; η2 = .201) both effectively predicted separation anxiety. Conclusions: These results suggest that when making a differential diagnosis of anxiety, screening tools demonstrate varying sensitivity across different anxiety domains.