Abstract
The controversy concerning the validity and reliability of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) appears to be particularly relevant in the elderly, since physical symptoms associated with GAD can readily be considered as the consequences of normal aging. This study aims to analyze the structure invariance of a questionnaire assessing the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria across samples of older adults and college students. Ninety-seven adults aged 65 or over and 130 college students completed the Worry and Anxiety Questionnaire (WAQ). The results revealed that factorial invariance could be assumed and, in addition, that scores for severity of GAD symptoms were higher in younger subjects than in older ones. The results support the applicability of DSM-IV criteria for GAD in elderly people, as the factorial structure of the WAQ was the same for this age group as for younger adults. A higher degree of GAD severity was found in the younger sample.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
These additional results are available upon request to the first author.
References
American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4thnth ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Arbuckle, J. L. (2003). AMOS 5.0 update to the Amos users guide. Chicago: SmallWaters Corporation.
Arbuckle, J. L., & Wothke, W. (1999). AMOS 4.0 user’s guide. Chicago, IL: SmallWaters Corporation.
Arbuckle, J. L., & Wothke, W. (2003). AMOS 5.0 update to the AMOS user’s guide. Chicago, IL: SmallWaters Corporation.
Bentler, P. M. (1990). Comparative fit indexes in structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 107, 238–246.
Bentler, P. M. (1995). EQS: Structural equation program manual. Encino, CA: Multivariate Software.
Brown, T. A., Barlow, D. H., & Liebowitz, M. R. (1994). The empirical basis of generalized anxiety disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 151, 1272–1280.
Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen, & J. S. Long (Eds.) Testing structural equation models (pp. 136–161). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Byrne, B. M. (2001). Structural equation modelling with AMOS. Basic concepts, applications and programming. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Chino, B., Mizuno, M., Nemoto, T., Yamashita, C., & Kashima, H. (2006). Relation between social functioning and neurocognitive test results using the Optional Thinking Test in schizophrenia. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 60, 63–69.
Craske, M. G. (2003). Origins of phobias and anxiety disorders: Why more women than men?. Oxford: Elsevier.
Del Ser, T., & Peña-Casanova, J. (1994). Objetivos y métodos de la evaluación de la demencia [Objectives and methods for the assessment of dementia]. In T. del Ser, & J. Peña-Casanova (Eds.) Evaluación neuropsicológica y funcional de la demencia [Neuropsychological and functional assessment of dementia] (pp. 1–8). Barcelona: JR Prous Editores.
Dugas, M. J., Freeston, M. H., Provencher, M., Lachance, S., Ladouceur, R., & Gosselin, P. (2001). Le Questionnaire sur l’inquiétude et l’anxiété: validation dans des échantillons non cliniques et cliniques [The Worry and Anxiety Questionnaire: validation in nonclinical and clinical samples]. Journal de Thérapie Conportementale et Cognitive, 11, 31–36.
Fisher, J. E., & Noll, J. P. (1996). Anxiety disorders. In L. L. Carstensen, B. A. Edelstein, & L. Dornbrand (Eds.) The practical handbook of clinical gerontology (pp. 304–323). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). Mini-mental state: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.
Flint, A. J. (1994). Epidemiology and comorbidity of anxiety disorders in the elderly. American Journal of Psychiatry, 151, 640–649.
Fuentes, K., & Cox, B. J. (1997). Prevalence of anxiety disorders in elderly adults: a critical analysis. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 28, 269–279.
Heimberg, R. G., Turk, C. L., & Mennin, D. S. (2004). Preface. In R. G. Heimberg, C. L. Turk, & D. S. Mennin (Eds.) Generalized anxiety disorder. Advances in research and practice (pp. xi–xiv). New York: Guilford Press.
Hoelter, J. W. (1983). The analysis of covariance structures: goodness-of-fit indices. Sociological Methods & Research, 11, 325–344.
Hunt, S., Wisocki, P. A., & Yanko, J. (2003). Worry and use of coping strategies among older and younger adults. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 17, 547–560.
Ibáñez, I., González, M., Fernández-Valdés, A., López-Curbelo, M., Rodríguez, M., & García, C. D. (2000). El Cuestionario de Preocupación y Ansiedad: un instrumento para la evaluación del trastorno de ansiedad generalizada [The Worry and Anxiety Questionnaire: an instrument for the assessment of the generalized anxiety disorder]. Ansiedad y Estrés, 6, 203–221.
Jorekog, K. G., & Sorbom, D. (1996). LISREL 8: User’s reference guide. Chicago: Scientific Software International.
Lobo, A., Ezquerra, J., Gómez, F. B., Sala, J. M., & Seva, A. (1979). El mini-examen cognoscitivo. Un test sencillo y práctico para detectar alteraciones intelectuales en pacientes médicos [Cognoscitive mini-test. (a simple and practical test to detect intellectual changes in medical patients]. Actas Luso-Españolas de Neurología Psiquiátrica, 7, 189–202.
MacCallum, R. C., Widaman, K. F., Zhang, S., & Hong, S. (1999). Sample size in factor analysis. Psychological Methods, 4, 84–99.
Montorio, I., Nuevo, R., Márquez, M., Izal, M., & Losada, A. (2003). Characterization of worry according to severity of anxiety in elderly living in the community. Aging and Mental Health, 7, 334–341.
Nuevo, R. (2005). Sensibilidad y especificidad del Cuestionario de Preocupación y Ansiedad para la detección del Trastorno de Ansiedad Generalizada en la edad avanzada [Sensitivity and specificity of the Worry and Anxiety Questionnaire for detecting generalized anxiety disorder in the old age]. Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica, 10, 135–142.
Nuevo, R., Montorio, I., & Borkovec, T. D. (2004). A test of the role of metaworry in the prediction of worry severity in an elderly sample. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 35, 209–218.
Palmer, B. W., Jeste, D. V., & Sheikh, J. I. (1997). Anxiety disorders in the elderly: DSM-IV and other barriers to diagnosis and treatment. Journal of Affective Disorders, 46, 183–190.
Piguet, O., Grayson, D. A., Broe, G. A., Tate, R. L., Bennett, H. P., Lye, T. C., et al. (2002). Normal aging and executive functions in ‘old-old’ community dwellers: poor performance is not an inevitable outcome. International Psychogeriatrics, 14, 139–159.
Ray, J. J. (1988). Lie scales and the elderly. Personality and Individual Differences, 9, 417–418.
Reise, S. P., Widaman, K. F., & Pugh, R. H. (1993). Confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory: two approaches for exploring measurement invariance. Psychological Bulletin, 114, 552–566.
Ruscio, A. M., Borkovec, T. D., & Ruscio, J. (2001). A taxometric investigation of the latent structure of worry. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 110, 413–422.
Stanley, M. A., Diefenbach, G. J., Hopko, D. R., Novy, D., Kunik, M. E., Wilson, N., et al. (2003). The nature of generalized anxiety in older primary care patients. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 25, 273–280.
Tomarken, A. J., & Waller, N. G. (2003). Potential problems with “well fitting” models. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 578–598.
Tombaugh, T. N., McDowell, I., Kristjansson, B., & Hubley, A. M. (1996). Mini-mental state examination and the modified MMSE: psychometric comparison and normative data. Psychological Assessment, 1, 48–59.
Tombaugh, T. N., & McIntyre, N. J. (1992). The mini-mental state examination: a comprehensive review. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 40, 922–935.
Wetherell, J. L., & Gatz, M. (2005). The Beck Anxiety Inventory in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 27, 17–24.
Wetherell, J. L., Le Roux, H., & Gatz, M. (2003). DSM-IV criteria for generalized anxiety disorder in older adults: distinguishing the worried from the well. Psychology and Aging, 18, 622–627.
Whitbourne, S. K. (1996). Psychological perspectives on the normal aging process. In L.L. Carstensen, B. A. Edelstein, & L. Dornbrand (Eds.)The practical handbook of clinical gerontology (pp. 3–35). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nuevo, R., Ruiz, M.A., Izal, M. et al. A Comparison of the Factorial Structure of DSM-IV Criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Between Younger and Older Adults. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 30, 252–260 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-008-9084-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-008-9084-2