Benefits of the Zung Self Rating Anxiety Scale

Do you wonder if you suffer from anxiety or want toassessment is not a viable option. The assessment
know how severe your symptoms are? The Zungitself can be administered in the privacy of one's own
Self Rating Anxiety Scale is a simple test that peoplehome if so desired, but only a professional healthcare
can administer to themselves to pinpoint and determineprovider can accurately interpret the results. Any
the severity of their symptoms of anxiety. Of course,feelings of anxiety or depression should be discussed
the results of this test are intended to be used andwith and diagnosed by professionals to ensure that the
interpreted by mental health professionals who canproper care is received for any anxiety disorders. Bear
make specific recommendations if treatment isin mind that everyone feels anxiety in certain situations.
needed to improve the condition. But for individuals itThis is perfectly normal.
can help them determine if they have the symptomsThe Zung Self Rating Anxiety Scale is not intended to
of anxiety and can decide to seek treatment.be used for assessing or diagnosing children or teens.
Developed by Dr. William WK Zung of Duke University,Changes that are taking place normally in their young
the Zung Self Rating Anxiety Scale is comprised of 20bodies can cause them to report higher incidence of
questions that receive a numerical score from 1 to 4.certain types of anxiety that are perfectly normal
Most of the questions are scaled with numbersfunctions of adolescence rather than signs of an
increasing as symptoms worsen. 5 have the scaleanxiety disorder. If a teen feels that he/she is
reversed so that numbers decrease as symptoms areexperiencing anxiety or depression that are outside the
better more often. The questions are allrealm of normal adolescent difficulties, a mental health
straightforward inquiries into how often a personprofessional should be contacted to evaluate and
experiences certain feelings or physical sensationsdiagnose whether a problem actually exists.
with the scale running thus: almost never, sometimes,In adults, however, the Zung Self Rating Anxiety Scale
frequently, all the time. Answering each questionis a very useful tool recognized around the world as
honestly will help mental health providers determine thean asset in determining the severity of anxiety
severity of any anxiety disorder or rule one out if thedisorders. Giving honest answers on the assessment
scores are low enough. Scores below a certain rangetest is critical to making an accurate determination.
indicate false answers.Only mental health professionals are qualified to
While the Zung anxiety scale is recognized byinterpret the results in relation to other tests and
physicians, psychologists, and other medicalassessments to determine what if any treatment is
professionals around the world, it important to stressneeded for an anxiety disorder.
that self interpretation of the results of the