Introduction
HAM-A is a clinician-rated framework for describing anxiety through psychological and physical symptoms. Its 14 items include anxious mood, tension, sleep, concentration and bodily experiences across several systems.
The rating combines what a person reports with clinical observation and interview information. That differs from a questionnaire in which a person simply selects how often something happens. Physical symptoms also require context, including illness, medication and the circumstances in which they occur.
For a personal account of recent anxiety, GAD-7 uses a short self-report format. HAM-A is more useful when a clinician is organising an assessment with the respondent. Bringing examples of changes in sleep, tension and daily functioning can make that conversation more precise.
Instructions
Use this worksheet only to record ratings made by a qualified clinician after an interview and clinical observation. For each of the 14 items, the clinician selects a severity rating from 0 to 4 for the relevant assessment period. Do not complete it as an unaided self-test.
This is not a standard self-report test
Clinician-rated; not a self-report screening test
Scoring and result metrics
The result page reports a local screening score for this questionnaire. Use the score range, any subscale scores, and the interpretation band together rather than treating one number as a diagnosis.
- Score range
- 0-56
- Items scored
- 14
- Result indicators
- Total score / Interpretation band when available
Score interpretation bands
- 0-17Mild anxiety
Scores in the 0-17 range may be indicative of mild anxiety levels.
- 18-30Moderate anxiety
Scores in the 18-30 range may indicate moderate to severe anxiety levels.
- 31-56Very severe anxiety
Scores in the 31-56 range are indicative of very severe anxiety levels..
Interpretation bands summarize screening thresholds from the questionnaire source material. Higher scores usually indicate more of the measured concern unless the tool notes a different scoring rule.
Tool information
- Version
- 14 questions
- Administration
- Clinician-rated
- Intended audience
- Trained clinicians recording anxiety severity after a clinical interview and observation; not intended for unaided self-rating
Sources
- M Hamilton. The Assessment of Anxiety States by Rating. 32 Br J Med Psychol 50-55. 1959.
- W Maier, R Buller, M Philipp, & I Heuser. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale: Reliability, Validity and Sensitivity to Change in Anxiety and Depressive Disorders. 14(1) J Affect Disord 61-68. 1988.
Related tests
Explore related screening tools in the same topic area.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Item Scale (GAD-7)
GAD-7 brings together seven experiences related to anxiety, including persistent worry, difficulty relaxing, restlessness and irritability.
Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS)
The Taylor questionnaire approaches anxiety through everyday statements about nervousness, tension and physical discomfort.
Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)
The Zung anxiety questionnaire brings emotional and physical experiences together in 20 statements.