Evaluating the Beck Anxiety Inventory The Beck Anxiety Inventory is a 21-item scale that measures the severity of self-reported anxiety in adults and adolescents. The inventory was created by Aaron T. Beck and his colleague, Robert A. Steer, at the Center for Cognitive Therapy, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. The most recent edition was published in 1993 by The Psychological Corporation, Harcourt Brace & Company in San Antonio, TX. The first edition was published in 1988. The 1993 edition recommends different scoring guidelines than previous editions. There is only one form and one manual as part of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). To purchase the BAI in 2010, the manual and 25 scoring sheets would cost $110.00. This information is from the Pearson Assessments website. The design of the manual is very user friendly. It is divided into subjects with headings. The editorial quality of the content is professional and academic. The manual would be a quick read for someone knowledgeable about testing as it is 23 pages long. The manual in the Ward E. Barnes Library was in good condition, but appeared to be old as the newest version was printed in 1993. The face validity of the manual and scoring sheet is pleasant. They appear professional and not too academic. Reporting anxiety was the only purpose for the inventory listed in the manual. The BAI consists of 21 descriptive statements of anxiety symptoms. The test taker indicates how often the symptoms have occurred within the last week. The scoring sheet has four columns which are rated on a 4-point scale with the following correspondence: Not at all = 0, Mildly = 1, Moderately = 2, Severely = 3. The test taker marks the appropriate colum... ... middle of paper ... ...h the inventory is very easy to use and is self explanatory, it’s seems important to evaluate when and why the test is being used with the client and how the results are going to benefit the client. Because the assessment is a self-report assessment, it’s so crucial to help the client understand how important an honest evaluation of their symptoms is to an accurate score. Overall though, I thought the BAI was well laid out and professional. When used in the right setting with the appropriate client, this inventory could be very useful to someone suffering from anxiety. It could be a great way to help create hope in a client. They could take the inventory once a month during treatment to see how they are progressing. I enjoyed evaluating this inventory because it painted a clear picture of how validity and reliability are so crucial when creating an assessment.
The sample used to norm the test was inclusive, and studies have showed little to no discrepancies in scores in regards to demographics (gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status). I found limited data regarding the exactly reliability coefficients and the validity of the test. However, I did discover this test to be used when determining concurrent validity of other tests of anxiety. There are no limits to this test in regards to a population or administration, as it is written at an elementary reading level and provides multiple administration types (verbal, audio CD, reading) and response types (verbal or nonverbal). The only area of limitation that I believe exists with this test is its vulnerability to self-report biases, affecting the accuracy of the scores produced for children. I feel very comfortable using this measure in my profession, and believe it can provide a strong base for assessing a child’s anxiety levels and their impacts socially or
This assessment will help assure the client is getting all the help he or she needs (Roberts,
The first part of the essay explained the pathophysiology of MI; importantly, the next part will investigate the psychological impact of MI and the psychosocial effects of CR. The link between post-MI patients and psychological changes, depression and anxiety for example, is now well established. Research has also found a positive relationship between depression and long-term prognosis post-MI. As a result, it is essential to determine the psychological status of the patient to decide an accurate prognosis. In Scotland, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is advocated to determine psychological status post-MI. The HADS comprises of 14 questions, 7 for depression and 7 for anxiety, and the patient answers 0 (strongly disagree) – 3 (strongly agree). Each selection is added up and a score for both depression and anxiety is noted. Both scores are compared against normative data and psychological status is calculated; finally, the psychological status of the patient is rated: normal, borderline abnormal and abnormal.
...ression; yet it is still extremely important to keep in mind, especially in an educational setting, that results from the BDI-II or any other symptom inventory or mental health test should be thoroughly researched and used in correlation with other assessments and client specific data when making a diagnosis.
...s: the nature and treatment of anxiety and panic (2. ed.). New York, NY [u.a.: Guilford Press.
... anxiety and it is not a negatively-adapted trait, but rather an instinct that can sometimes seem primitive in such an advanced culture. Reading this article did not provide me with any new approaches to dealing with my anxiety, but the statistic about the disorder’s prevalence on page 56 helped me to feel less alone. Before reading Park’s article, I had never really considered the possibility that anxiety could have positive results or an evolutionary basis intended to improve the chances of survival. For those with anxiety looking for alternative methods of alleviating those feelings or a deeper understanding of the sources of their anxiety, this article may prove a valuable read. People who do not have anxiety themselves could also benefit from reading this article, as it provides an accurate snapshot of the struggles a person suffering from anxiety experiences.
The Beck Depression Inventory is a self-report inventory that attempts to understand the severity of depression in adults and or adolescents. The original Beck Depression Inventory was created in 1961 by Aaron Beck and his associates and was revised in 1971. In 1971, the Beck Depression Inventory was introduced at the Center for Cognitive Therapy, CCT, at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. Much of the research on the Beck Depression Inventory has been done at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. In the current version, of the Beck Depression Inventory, the subject rates 21 symptoms and attitudes on a 4 point scale depending on severity. Test takers rate the items listed in the inventory according to a one week timeframe, which includes the day the test takers took the test. The items that that the inventory measures covers cognitive, somatic, affective and vegetative dimensions of depression and although it was developed atheoretically, the items correspond with depression symptoms as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) (DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The Beck Depression Inventory is widely known and is well known by psychiatric populations and clinicians. The BDI can be administered in a group or individual format by oral or written form. The 1993 version targets more trait aspects of depression versus the previous and earlier versions measured state aspects of depression. The test is to be administered with no more than 15 minutes to take the test, regardless of the mode administered. The 21 symptoms that are rated on the 4 point scale are then totaled and the range can vary from 0 to 63. Patients that score...
Along with being the most widespread mental health disorder, women are more likely to be affected by most anxiety disorders than men. Anxiety disorders are often characterized by feelings of worry, uncertainty, anxiety, or fear, which can be so intense, it can interfere with a person’s daily activities. Therefore, it is likely for a person struggling with an anxiety disorder will find themselves unemployed, financially dependent on others and even have poor quality social relationships as well. As an anxiety disorder may affect other functional impairments, it is also important to be aware of its development considering an anxiety response affects various populations and individuals differently.
What would be the criteria used to distinguish between clinically significant fear and anxiety, and everyday fear and anxiety?
Validity and reliability: The assessment has an overall reliability coefficient of .93 based on test-retest reliability, making it an extremely reliable assessment (Fredricks, 2010). For it 's validity rate, the assessment has an overall validity of 93.9% (Fredricks, 2010). However, many argue that this reliability and validity be accepted with caution. The test-retest reliability is limited by the fact that it is only reported over a two-week period. In addition, the sample population with a high occurrence of substance abuse disorder, could attribute to it 's high validity rate (Fredricks, 2010).
...sessment should not be used solely for making any diagnostic decisions or decisions related to treatment of any kind but the findings do indicate that the BAI is useful in using as a supportive tool in screening for common anxiety disorders in mental health settings. The assessment would be most effective if used in a tiered diagnostic system, if time constraints interfere with conducting a tiered study then a subsample of individuals would be a suggested option for clinics who are looking for a more time efficient assessment.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in America, affecting approximately 19 million adults (3). Although everyone experiences mild symptoms of anxiety at some point in their lives, those who suffer from an anxiety disorder have chronic and intense bouts of panic. They may fear or dread common social situations such as being out in public with a group of friends (4), or experience full-blown panic attacks (5) that make it impossible to go grocery shopping or to get to work in the morning. If untreated, anxiety disorders can severely impact the quality of one's life, and symptoms may grow even worse over time. There are several types of anxiety disorders, including Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disor...
...ne only individually in order to encourage honest responses and not have any peer influences (Flanagan & Henington, 2005). Overall, the Beck Youth Inventory is a useful tool, but should be used in conjunction with other assessment instruments.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2009). Studying anxiety disorders. NIH Medline plus, 5, 13-15. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/complete-index.shtml
By creating these tables I was able to effectively complete my research processes with minimal difficulties. Most of the research processes were conducted as I had initially planned. I began my preliminary research process in order to effectively obtain basic information to build upon my knowledge of the topic, which was initially were limited. I had originally planned to obtain the preliminary information through online articles, however this was quite difficult due to my limited knowledge, therefore I chose to view online videos. This was much more effective than reading online articles. Then I began reading and annotating several online articles to extensively research the topic and expand my knowledge within the fields of mental illnesses. This research process also allowed me to determine whether the information present on the website is credible, reliable and useful. In addition to the online research processes, another research method was utilized to obtain information; this was done through conducting an interview with a psychologist. This process was very successful in allowing me to validate and clarify any questions that I had regarding anxiety. Therefore, by planning the research processes that I would conduct, I was able to successfully to complete all sections of the research project within a reasonable amount of time and with minimal difficulties. Also by planning the processes, I was also able to develop and change my guiding questions whilst developing my research. Hence, my research skills have improved substantially through research