Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
Clinical intent
The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) is a 21-item self-report measure of anxiety developed by Aaron T. Beck and his associates at the Center for Cognitive Therapy, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. The BAI was constructed to measure symptoms of anxiety which are minimally shared with those of depression.
The scale measures the severity of anxiety in adults and adolescents, focusing on symptoms experienced during the past week, including today.
Calculation
The total score is calculated by finding the sum of the 21 items. The maximum possible score is 63 points.
Clinical interpretation
Primary Scoring (Used in this Implementation)
This implementation uses the following interpretation guidelines:
| Score | Anxiety Level |
|---|---|
| 0-21 | Low anxiety |
| 22-35 | Moderate anxiety |
| 36-63 | Potentially concerning levels of anxiety |
Alternative Scoring: 1993 Edition Guidelines NOT IMPLEMENTED
The 1993 Edition of the BAI Manual recommends the following scoring guidelines, which are based on extensive experience with outpatients with anxiety disorders at the Center for Cognitive Therapy:
| Score | Anxiety Level |
|---|---|
| 0-7 | Minimal |
| 8-15 | Mild |
| 16-25 | Moderate |
| 26-63 | Severe |
Note: These diagnostic ranges and associated descriptive labels were revised by Dr. Beck based on his extensive clinical experience. Previous editions used slightly different ranges. Clinicians should consider using these ranges as guidelines and adjust interpretation based on the clinical context and patient population.
References
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Beck, A.T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R.A. (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 893-897.
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Beck, A.T., & Steer, R.A. (1993). Beck Anxiety Inventory Manual. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Pathway
Form preview
Interactive preview of the questionnaire. Not for clinical use. Responses are not stored.