Abstract
Many conceptual, methodological, and clinical issues remain unresolved in the assessment of anxiety disorders. Despite the prevalence, incidence, chronicity, and severity of anxiety disorders, research efforts and funding have fallen behind with regard both to other disorders and to addressing critical issues in the field. The primary objective of this paper is to provide a scientific critique regarding a number of often ignored yet salient considerations in anxiety-disorders assessment. Critical analyses of and recommendations regarding the multidimensional nature of anxiety, comorbidity, uniformity myths, synchrony, normative comparisons, psychometric properties of measures, and treatment integrity are offered. Finally, promising areas of clinical research are presented to enhance further the current understanding of the complexities inherent in assessing anxiety disorders.
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Preparation of this paper was supported in part by NIMH Grant MH36299.
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Turner, S.M., Michelson, L. Conceptual, methodological, and clinical issues in the assessment of anxiety disorders. Journal of Behavioral Assessment 6, 265–279 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01321321
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01321321