Child Mental Health Assessment Tools

A mental health assessment provides a general picture of how well a child is able to think, reason and remember. A mental health assessment for a child is geared to the child's age and stage of development. It can determine how well a child is able to interact on a social and emotional level. Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety can also be identified.

Ages and Stages Questionnaires

• The Ages and Stages Questionnaires---Social Emotional (ASQ--SE) are appropriate for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. It screens for developmental delays in social--emotional functioning. Parents complete different versions of the questionnaire for specific age intervals.

  The advantages of the ASQ--SE are that it can be used in multiple languages, it is used in a variety of fields and is appropriate for use with infants. A disadvantage is the fact that the questionnaires are completed by parents, not by direct interaction with the child.

Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale

• The Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS-2) is designed to assess children ages 5 to 18. It measures a child's interpersonal strength, school functioning ability, involvement with family and affective strength. The assessment combines three perspectives --- the child's behavior, a questionnaire by a parent and a questionnaire by a teacher or other professional.

  The advantages of BERS-2 is the wide age range it can assess, the multiple perspectives used and the fact that it measures a child's strengths, not just weaknesses. Disadvantages are that it is a lengthy test, and interpretation requires clinical training and experience.

Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Screen

• The Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Screen (CAPS) is appropriate for children ages 3 to 21. It measures symptoms of common psychiatric disorders. The assessment includes 85 questions, which can be completed by parents in 15 to 20 minutes.

  The advantages of the CAPS is the wide age range it can assess. The disadvantage is the fact that the questionnaires are completed by parents, not by direct interaction with the child.

Rutter Questionnaires

• The Rutter Questionnaires are designed to assess the social skills of children ages 9 to 13. Children undergo a brief screening and a longer assessment. Parents complete a 54-item questionnaire and teachers complete a 26-item questionnaire.

  The advantages of the Rutter Questionnaires is the multiple perspectives used to evaluate a child. Disadvantages include the narrow age range it can screen.