The Beck Anxiety Inventory is a test designed to quickly determine the severity of anxiety in patients and help to distinguish anxiety from other mental disorders. It was especially formulated to differentiate anxiety from depression by measuring signs of anxiety attacks shared in small amounts with those of depression. The Beck Anxiety Inventory addresses both the cognitive and psychological components of anxiety. The Beck Anxiety Inventory is comprised of 21 different items which describe somatic, subjective, or panic-related symptoms. It takes roughly 5-10 minutes to administer and is designed for individuals age 17 and up.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory is widely used by physicians who deal with patients suffering from anxiety and panic attacks in order to determine the best anxiety cures to explore. In some cases anxiety counseling is found to be more effective than anxiety medicine and vice versa. While the Beck Anxiety Inventory does not work well for determining anxiety in children, it is one of the most effective diagnostic tools that physicians have at their disposal for attacking anxiety and depression. Once most patients become cognizant of the symptoms of anxiety through the Beck Anxiety Inventory, they have a better understanding of their condition and how to cure anxiety. They are also assured that their physician is taking the right treatment path. No one wants to be prescribed medications for depression when they may need something else. The Beck Anxiety Inventory helps to eliminate these foibles.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory holds an average reliability coefficient of 92-percent and a test-retest reliability of 75-percent. Such scientific data proves that the Beck Anxiety Inventory is highly effective for determining if a patient has an anxiety disorder. Because the effects of anxiety on the body can take such a toll on one's life, the Beck Anxiety Inventory serves as a significant first step to help patients and physicians work together to overcome anxiety.