Assessing older adults with generalized anxiety: a replication and extension

Citation
Ma. Stanley et al., Assessing older adults with generalized anxiety: a replication and extension, BEHAV RES T, 39(2), 2001, pp. 221-235
Citations number
42
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology
Journal title
BEHAVIOUR RESEARCH AND THERAPY
ISSN journal
00057967 → ACNP
Volume
39
Issue
2
Year of publication
2001
Pages
221 - 235
Database
ISI
SICI code
0005-7967(200102)39:2<221:AOAWGA>2.0.ZU;2-H
Abstract
Anxiety is a major health problem for older adults. The cornerstone for fur ther work in this area is research that establishes the psychometric utilit y of standardized measurement strategies to characterize anxiety in older a dults. The goals of the current study were to replicate and extend prior re search addressing the psychometric properties of five self-report measures of anxiety in a sample of 57 older adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Data addressed the descriptive characteristics, internal consistenc y, test-retest reliability, interrelation of subscales, and convergent and divergent validity of the Penn state worry questionnaire (PSWQ), worry scal e (WS), Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory - Form Y (STAI), and two versions of the fear questionnaire (FQ). Descriptive data generally replica ted prior findings, with some increased state and trait anxiety in the curr ent sample. Measures were internally consistent, with evidence that a revis ed version of the FQ that focuses on severity of fear irrespective of assoc iated avoidance demonstrated greater internal consistency than the original version. Measures of content-specific fears and worries (WS, FQ) were stab le over time and demonstrated convergent validity. Evidence of convergent v alidity also was evident for measures of worry and general anxiety (WS, PSW Q, STAI-Trait), but two of these measures (PSWQ, STAI) were not reliable ov er time. Only the PSWQ showed evidence of divergent validity with respect t o self-report measures of depression. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.