Overview

The Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS) is a specialized self-report questionnaire designed to assess anxiety symptoms in young children aged 3 to 6 years. Developed to address the unique presentation of anxiety in preschool-aged children, the PAS is an invaluable tool for clinicians and researchers aiming to identify and measure anxiety symptoms early in childhood development.

Purpose

The PAS aims to:

• Assess Anxiety Symptoms: Identify and quantify anxiety symptoms specific to preschool-aged children, including fears and worries related to separation, social situations, physical injury, and general anxiety.
• Support Early Diagnosis: Aid in the early detection of anxiety disorders, allowing for timely intervention and support.
• Monitor Treatment Progress: Track changes in anxiety symptoms over time to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

Structure

The PAS consists of 28 items, each rated by parents or primary caregivers on a 5-point Likert scale. The items are grouped into four primary subscales, capturing different domains of anxiety:

• Separation Anxiety: Assesses fears related to being away from primary caregivers.
• Social Anxiety: Evaluates anxiety and fears in social situations, such as interactions with peers and adults.
• Physical Injury Fears: Measures fears related to physical harm, injury, or illness.
• General Anxiety: Captures symptoms of general anxiety, such as excessive worry and nervousness.

Applications

• Clinical Use: The PAS is used by mental health professionals to assess anxiety symptoms in preschool-aged children. It aids in diagnosing anxiety disorders and developing tailored intervention plans.
• Research Use: The PAS is utilized in research to study the prevalence, characteristics, and developmental trajectory of anxiety disorders in young children. It also helps evaluate the impact of various interventions on anxiety symptoms in this age group.

Psychometric Properties

The PAS demonstrates strong psychometric properties:

• Reliability: The scale shows high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.70 to 0.90 across the subscales, indicating reliable measurement of anxiety symptoms. Test-retest reliability is also strong, ensuring stability of the symptoms over time.
• Validity: The PAS has good construct validity, correlating well with other established measures of childhood anxiety and related constructs. It also exhibits criterion validity, effectively differentiating between children with and without anxiety disorders.
• Factor Structure: Factor analysis supports the scale’s ability to capture distinct domains of anxiety, with clear factors corresponding to separation anxiety, social anxiety, physical injury fears, and general anxiety.

Translation and Adaptation

The PAS has been translated into multiple languages and validated in various cultural contexts. These translations ensure the tool’s relevance and accuracy across diverse populations, making it widely applicable for global use.

Conclusion

The Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS) is a crucial tool for assessing anxiety symptoms in young children. Its robust psychometric properties, detailed structure, and applicability in both clinical and research settings make it essential for early diagnosis and intervention in childhood anxiety disorders. The PAS supports effective treatment planning and monitoring, contributing to better mental health outcomes for preschool-aged children.