Table 1.

Sample questions to ask when exploring anxiety symptoms

Screening questions	“Does [name] worry a lot or seem nervous?” “What do other adults say about[her/his]temperament or behaviour?” “Does [name] avoid any activities or situations, or hold back from them because of worry, nervousness, or a belief that things will go wrong?” “What makes[name] worried or scared?”
Specific triggers	“Does [name] get worried about or avoid certain activities or situations? Does [she/he] ask lots of questions about disasters, being alone, being hurt by animals, car crashes, peers not liking them, or doing poorly in school?” “Does [name] have a hard time being away from a parent?” “Does [name] ever feel panicky or frightened for no apparent reason?” “Does [name] often find it hard to relax, or fall asleep?” “Does [name] ever have trouble breathing, experience a racing heart, sweat heavily, or feel shaky or faint in crowded rooms, big places, or social situations?” “How does your body tell you that you are worried or anxious? What signals does it send?”
Speech and behavioural features	“Does [name] frequently ask ‘what if’ questions?” “Does [name] talk repetitively about bad things happening?” “Does [name] appear nervous in new or unpredictable situations, or seem over-prepared for some social situations?” “Does [name] say that peers don’t like [her/him] or feel rejected by them?”
Interactional features (for parents)	“What do you as a parent tend to say and do when your child has anxiety? How does your child usually react to your response?”