# Evidence-based assessment/Instruments/Beck Anxiety Inventory

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The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), created by Aaron T. Beck and other colleagues, is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory that is used for measuring the severity of anxiety in children and adults. The questions used in this measure ask about common symptoms of anxiety that the subject has had during the past week (including the day you take it) (such as numbness and tingling, sweating not due to heat, and fear of the worst happening). It is designed for individuals who are of 17 years of age or older and takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Several studies have found the Beck Anxiety Inventory to be an accurate measure of anxiety symptoms in children and adults.

## Psychometrics
### Reliability

Rubric for evaluating norms and reliability for the Beck Anxiety Inventory :
| Criterion | Rating (adequate, good, excellent, too good) | Explanation with references |
| Norms | Good | Many research studies covering clinical and community samples |
| Internal consistency | Excellent | Cronbach's alpha = 0.91 based on aggregated analyses of 192 studies |
| Inter-rater reliability | Not applicable | Designed as a self-report questionnaire |
| Test-retest reliability | Adequate | Pearson's r = 0.65 over a median interval of 6 weeks based on aggregated analyses of 18 studies |

### Validity

Evaluation of validity and utility for the Beck Anxiety Inventory :
| Criterion | Rating (adequate, good, excellent, too good) | Explanation with references |
| Content validity | Good | Covers common symptoms of anxiety disorders including physical and cognitive aspects of symptoms |
| Construct validity | Good | Robust convergent validity across 33 different anxiety instruments; studies generally supported a two-factor model (somatic and subjective) |
| Validity generalization | Excellent | Tested in subgroups with sex, ethnic, and age differences; validated in clinical and nonclinical samples; translated into multiple languages |
| Clinical utility | Good | Easy administration and scoring; good psychometrics |

## Question breakdown, scoring and interpretation

Each question inquires about how bothersome a symptom of anxiety has been for the subject over the past week. Scoring the BAI is based on a 0-3 point scale, with each question being scored as follows based on participant response:
* 0 points: NOT AT ALL
* 1 point: MILDLY: It did not bother me much.
* 2 points: MODERATELY: It wasn't pleasant at times.
* 3 points: SEVERELY: It bothered me a lot.
The point values of the chosen answer choices are then summed to produce a total measure score. The BAI has a maximum score of 63.

### Interpretation of scores

The following guidelines are the currently used in interpreting the total score:
* 0-7: minimal anxiety
* 8-15: mild anxiety
* 16-25: moderate anxiety
* 26-63: severe anxiety
In 1993, the interpretation guidelines were updated (see above). Prior to 1993, the 1988 interpretation guide was used and is listed below. Please see page 1 of the BAI manual for a full discussion of changes between the 1988 edition and the current 1993 edition of the BAI.
* 0-9: normal anxiety
* 10-18: mild-moderate anxiety
* 19-29: moderate-severe anxiety
* 30-63: severe anxiety
Note: women with anxiety disorders tend to score 4 points higher than men with anxiety disorders

## External Links

* Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
* EffectiveChildTherapy.Org information on fear, worry, and anxiety
* Beck Anxiety Inventory by Great Plains Health