Glossary
Plain-language definitions
Vocabulary used across Anxiety in Children articles, written for parents and teens. Each entry links directly so you can share the URL.
- Evaluation
A structured clinical visit to diagnose or rule out a condition.
An evaluation combines a clinical interview, rating scales, and often records from school or a pediatrician. It typically takes 1–3 visits and results in a diagnostic formulation and a care plan.
- Comorbidity
Having two or more conditions at the same time.
Most children and teens with one mental-health diagnosis also meet criteria for another. For example, ADHD frequently co-occurs with anxiety, learning differences, or depression.
- Rating scale
A validated questionnaire used to screen or track symptoms.
Rating scales like the Vanderbilt, SCARED, PHQ-A, or SDQ are used alongside (never instead of) clinical interviews. They turn subjective experiences into repeatable numbers that help track change over time.
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