The Picture Anxiety Test (PAT) Psychometric Properties in a Community Sample of Young Children

This study extends prior research on the Picture Anxiety Test (PAT; Dubi & Schneider, 2009) in clinical samples, by examining psychometric properties and acceptance in a community sample of 153 4-8-year-old children. Children completed the PAT and the RCMAS, a well-established questionnaire measuring anxiety. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires on anxiety and externalizing behavior. In addition, a panel of psychologists and psychiatrists evaluated the PAT for quality and utility. Results indicated high internal consistencies for the subscales and composite scale, very high interrater reliability, and moderate to high test-retest reliability. Substantial correlations between the PAT and the RCMAS indicated good convergent validity. Sex and age differences were found for some subscales. Agreement between children and their parents and teachers was generally low. Children reported high acceptance of the PAT, and the panel of psychologists and psychiatrists rated the PAT as high in both quality and utility. Results were consistent with prior research on the PAT in clinical samples and indicate reliability and validity for assessing anxiety in a subclinical community sample.