5 Ready-to-use Anxiety Assessments For Therapists

As a Therapist, you are well aware that not all anxiety looks the same. Some clients may experience general anxiety, while others struggle with anxiety rooted in specific situations like performance, appearance, or academics. That’s why using targeted, validated anxiety assessments can give you sharper insights—and help tailor your treatment more effectively.

In this blog, you’ll be introduced to five proven anxiety tools each focused on a distinct type of anxiety. These pre-made assessments are quick to administer & save you time. They are also backed by research, and designed to support your clinical decisions.

How to Administer Validated Anxiety Assessments?

Choose the right assessment: Select an anxiety assessment that fits your client’s needs. Ensure the assessment is validated, age-appropriate & culturally sensitive.

Explain the purpose to the client: Briefly describe to the client why the assessment is being used. This helps guide treatment, track progress & encourages honest response.

Administer the assessment: The assessment can be self-reported or therapist-administered. Keep the setting calm & private, allowing the client to ask questions if needed.

Score & Interpret: Use the official scoring guide to calculate results. Interpret scores in the context of clinical cutoffs and consider the client’s history and current situation. Scoring and Interpretation are already implemented in BlockSurvey’s pre-made templates.

Discuss results with the client: Share insights with the client using simple, supportive language. Use the findings to validate their experience and introduce a direction for therapy.

Document & Evaluate progress: Record scores in clinical notes and use them to inform your treatment plan. Re-administer at regular intervals to evaluate progress and perform evidence-based treatment.

In the following sections, you will learn about 5 pre-made anxiety assessments.

• Test Anxiety Inventory
• Abbreviated Match Anxiety Sale
• Appearance Anxiety Inventory
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 2 Item
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 Item

Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI)

Purpose: TAI-5 measures anxiety specifically related to testing and performance evaluations.

Why use it in therapy:

• Ideal for students, professionals, or clients facing performance stress.
• Helps distinguish emotional anxiety from worry-based anxiety.
• Can guide interventions in academic or high-pressure environments.

When to use it: Use to guide treatment, when clients express fear of exams, stage fright, or anxiety tied to evaluation.

Possible Outcomes:

Outcomes
Low Test Anxiety
Moderate Test Anxiety
High to very high test anxiety

Try it yourself:

Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS)

Purpose: AMAS assesses the intensity of anxiety in situations involving mathematics.

Why use it in therapy:

• Especially relevant for school-aged clients and adult learners.
• Captures anxiety in real-life scenarios like budgeting, testing, and problem-solving.
• Can be used in collaboration with educators or learning specialists.

When to use it: With clients who avoid math-related tasks, underperform in school, or have past trauma associated with learning.

Possible Outcomes:

Outcomes
Low Anxiety
Some Anxiety
Moderate Anxiety
Quite a bit of Anxiety
High Anxiety

Try it yourself:

Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI)

Purpose: AAI measures anxiety related to appearance concerns, often tied to body image or perceived flaws.

Why use it in therapy:

• Validated for use in clients with body dysmorphia or low self-esteem.
• Highlights avoidance and safety behaviors around appearance.
• Supports interventions related to body image, social anxiety, and self-worth.

When to use it: With clients expressing shame, social withdrawal, or obsession with appearance.

Possible Outcomes:

Outcomes
Lower appearance-related anxiety
Greater appearance-related anxiety

Try it yourself:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2)

Purpose: GAD-2 is a brief screening tool used to identify possible cases of generalized anxiety disorder in adults and adolescents.

Why use it in therapy:

• Quick, reliable initial screener to flag anxiety symptoms.
• Can be used to determine if further assessment (like GAD-7) is needed.
• Useful for primary care, telehealth check-ins, or intake sessions.

When to use it: Use during initial assessments, periodic check-ins, or when clients mention general unease, persistent worry, or restlessness.

Possible Outcomes:

Outcomes
Anxiety Disorder Unlikely
Anxiety Disorder Likely

Try it yourself:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)

Purpose: GAD-7 is a validated 7-item questionnaire used to assess the severity of generalized anxiety disorder symptoms.

Why use it in therapy:

• Helps quantify symptom severity (mild, moderate, severe).
• Useful for tracking anxiety over time during treatment.
• Assists in diagnosis and in planning or adjusting interventions.

When to use it: Use at intake for baseline assessment or periodically during sessions to track progress, especially for clients reporting chronic worry, sleep issues, or concentration problems.

Possible Outcomes:

Outcomes
Minimal Anxiety
Mild Anxiety
Moderate Anxiety
Severe Anxiety

Try it yourself:

Conclusion

Each of these assessments addresses a unique dimension of anxiety, helping you better understand what your clients are experiencing beyond surface-level symptoms. When integrated into your practice, they not only aid diagnosis but also build trust and structure in your therapeutic journey.

Explore BlockSurvey’s templates gallery to experience a wide range of assessments belonging to various clinical subjects.

Start using BlockSurvey to access validated & expert-approved anxiety-related assessments. Streamline your assessments and support your clients with greater clarity.