# Child Anxiety Screening

[Screening for Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement](https://github.com/Medical-Software-Foundation/canvas/blob/main/protocols/child-anxiety-screening/screening-anxiety-children-final-recommendation.pdf) outlines a medical protocol developed by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to screen for anxiety disorders among children and adolescents in the United States. This protocol is significant due to the prevalence of anxiety disorders within this population and their potential to lead to future mental health issues such as anxiety disorders or depression in adulthood.

### Purpose of the Protocol
The main objective of the protocol is to provide systematic screening recommendations for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. The aim is to identify individuals in these age groups who may be suffering from anxiety disorders but have not yet been diagnosed or are not showing recognized signs or symptoms of anxiety. Early detection and treatment are believed to have a moderate net benefit in terms of treatment response and disease remission.

### Studied Group
The protocol specifically targets children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years without a previously diagnosed anxiety disorder or visible signs of anxiety. It also discusses the evidence insufficiency regarding the screening for anxiety in children 7 years or younger, indicating that the balance of benefits and harms of screening in this subgroup cannot be determined due to a lack of reliable evidence on the accuracy of screening tools and the effects of treatment.

### Recommended Actions
- **For Children and Adolescents Aged 8 to 18**: The USPSTF recommends screening for anxiety due to the availability of accurate screening instruments and adequate evidence that treatment, particularly psychotherapy, is associated with a moderate benefit in terms of treatment response and disease remission.
- **For Children 7 Years or Younger**: The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of screening for anxiety due to inadequate evidence on screening tools' accuracy and the benefits of treatment in this age group.

The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) questionnaire is a self-report questionnaire used to screen for childhood anxiety disorders and monitor symptoms.

The document emphasizes the importance of considering various risk factors for anxiety disorders, which include genetic, personality, environmental factors, socio-economic status, and experiences of discrimination or adverse childhood events.

Screening involves the use of heterogeneous instruments, some of which are designed for specific anxiety disorders. The protocol underscores that while there is no direct evidence on the harms of screening for anxiety, the potential harms of screening and psychotherapy are considered to be no greater than small.

Overall, the protocol by the USPSTF promotes the screening of children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years for anxiety disorders as a means to improve health outcomes through early detection and treatment while also noting the need for more evidence in younger children.