Jun 30 2009
Using HARS to assess your anxiety
The Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HARS) was developed as a tool to be used by doctors and psychologists to determine the severity of a patient’s anxiety. In order to measure this anxiety, there is a set of 14 questions which are aimed at the different types of anxiety that patients typically experience. The questions are mostly answered by the person suffering from anxiety. The last question though is answered by the counsellor or therapist.
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In 1959, there was no other test that was able to measure the psychic and somatic or physical levels of an anxiety sufferer. As a result Max Hamilton created the HARS test. The test can be used on children and younger adults although there has also been recent support for its use in older patients. The test itself was developed using the statistical technique of factor analysis which allowed Hamilton to create a list of the symptoms related to anxiety and then break them down into mental and physical symptoms.
The test is usually given by a doctor or other qualified personnel. Each answer is then rated from 0-4 with 0 being the lowest level of anxiety. All the scores are totalled and this total is then used to give the therapist an idea of the patients mental state. There are 7 questions that are focused on the mental aspects of a patients condition and a further 7 focusing on the physical aspects.
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After adding up the results, it is felt that if a person has a score of less than 17 that this person only has mild anxiety which can be easily addressed through therapy. Sometimes this can be misleading. Quite frequently patients lie to prevent embarrassment about the degree of their anxiety. A properly trained therapist will be best equipped to get the real answers from the patient and will therefore get the best results. Scores from 18-24 show a moderate level of anxiety, this degree of anxiety can be handled by teaching the patient coping techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises. If the patient scores over 25 then they have a hgh degree of anxiety. Patients that are severely anxious may need to control their anxiety with medications first. This can then be followed by psychotherapy before the medications are discontinued.
The results whilst useful may be affected by the ability of the therapist and the honesty of the patient. The questions themselves are designed not only to reflect the answers from the patient but also how the therapist feels about the answers. Although not perfect, the evidence suggests that the test is a reasonably good indicator of a patients anxiety. However questions have been raised regarding the similarity between the responses by those who suffer from anxiety and those who suffer from depression, since those who suffer from depression often score high on the HARS test.
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Although not perfect, the HARS test is still the most commonly used method for assessing a patients anxiety. The reality is that over very many years HARS has demonstrated that it is accurate and consistent. When used in conjunction with the appropriate treatments, many patients are able to find themselves cured of their anxiety and panic.
