Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (SAQ)
Also known as: SAQ
The Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (SAQ) is a self-report instrument measuring the intensity of separation anxiety experienced during or anticipated during separation from attachment figures. Developed by Sharpley and colleagues in 2000, the SAQ assesses worry, fear, and distress related to being apart from parents, partners, or other significant caregivers. It is used to evaluate separation anxiety in children, adolescents, and adults, and to monitor treatment response in separation anxiety disorder.
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When to use it
The SAQ is indicated for assessing separation anxiety in children (age 5+), adolescents, and adults. It is useful in pre-treatment evaluation to quantify separation-related fears, diagnosis confirmation (alongside clinical interview), treatment planning for exposure-based and cognitive interventions, and monitoring treatment response. Less suitable for children below age 5 (developmental appropriateness) or those with severe intellectual disability. The SAQ should be paired with behavioral observation (school attendance, sleep independence, separation tolerance in clinical session) for comprehensive assessment.
Strengths & limitations
- Directly assesses separation anxiety across cognitive (worry), emotional (fear), and somatic (physical symptoms) dimensions.
- Applicable across the lifespan (children through adulthood) with clear developmental expectations for score interpretation.
- Sensitive to cognitive-behavioral and exposure-based interventions; tracks symptom improvement across treatment.
- Brief and easy to administer; suitable for repeated measurement in clinical monitoring.
- Captures both worries about attachment figure (e.g., 'Something bad will happen to my parent') and worries about oneself (e.g., 'I will be left alone').
- Does not assess actual separation behavior or avoidance; a person may report high anxiety yet tolerate separation. Behavioral assessment is essential.
- Limited psychometric data compared to older, more established anxiety measures; fewer published validation studies across diverse populations.
- Items are situation-nonspecific (e.g., 'Separation anxiety' without reference to particular contexts like school, overnight travel, sleep). Context-specific assessment may be needed.
- Does not distinguish between normal developmental separation anxiety and pathological anxiety disorder; clinical judgment and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria are required.
Frequently asked
Is separation anxiety only a childhood disorder?
Separation anxiety typically onsets in childhood; however, DSM-5 recognizes adult separation anxiety disorder. Adults may develop or maintain separation anxiety due to relationship changes (new marriage), life transitions, trauma, or unresolved childhood anxiety. Adult separation anxiety often presents as excessive worry about traveling, sleeping away from home, or concern about attachment figures' safety.
What is the gold-standard treatment for separation anxiety?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy with graded exposure is the first-line treatment. Children gradually tolerate separation (e.g., parent steps outside room for 30 seconds, then returns; exposure extends over weeks). Concurrently, catastrophic thoughts (e.g., 'Something bad will happen to mom') are addressed via cognitive restructuring. Parent coaching (reducing reassurance-seeking and modeling coping) enhances outcomes in child cases.
Can separation anxiety be overcome without the attachment figure's cooperation?
Partial progress is possible; however, the most robust outcomes involve the attachment figure in treatment. In child cases, parents learn to reduce reassurance-seeking (which paradoxically reinforces anxiety) and tolerate the child's distress during exposure. Adults can work independently but may benefit from involving partners or family in behavioral experiments (practicing separation, resisting reassurance).
How long does treatment take?
Separation anxiety disorder often responds well to cognitive-behavioral therapy over 12–16 weeks of weekly treatment. Some children show significant improvement in 6–8 weeks with intensive exposure and parental coaching. Maintenance work (ongoing tolerating of separation, preventing re-emergence of avoidance) continues post-treatment for several months to 1+ year.
Sources
- Sharpley, C. F., & Lavers, R. J. (2000). The Separation Anxiety to Mother Separation Scale: Development and psychometric properties. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(9), 1131–1146. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (SAQ). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/anxiety-disorders/separation-anxiety-questionnaire
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