A self-report measure of situational anxiety for young children.

In this series of five studies, a self-report measure of situational anxiety for young children was developed and evaluated. Stylized cartoon figures representing various emotional states were paired and presented in a picture selection task. A total of 236 children participated in studies evaluating test items and comparing the picture test with other measures of children’s response to the stress of dental visits. The final test developed was a rapidly administered task, which was readily understood and accepted by children as young as three years old. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were assessed and shown to be adequate. The picture test was significantly correlated with anxiety indices which included human figure drawings, ratings of anxiety and cooperative behavior, heart rate, and basal skin response. The results indicate that the picture test is a simple yet valid and reliable index of the young child’s response to situational stress.