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Examination of the Hamilton Scales in Assessment of Anxious Older Adults: A Replication and Extension

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Abstract

This study examined the original and reconstructed Hamilton scales in the assessment of anxiety and depression in a sample of older adults diagnosed with GAD (n = 82). Internal consistency of all scales appeared adequate. Results indicated improved construct validity with the reconstructed scales, which demonstrated reduced shared variance. However, construct validity examined through intercorrelations of the Hamilton scales with self-report measures of anxiety and depression was generally poor. Discriminant function analysis indicated that the reconstructed scales might have some clinical utility in differentiation of patients with and without coexistent depressive diagnosis (67% correct classification). In addition, two items from the Hamilton rating scale for depression (Work and Activities; Hopelessness) correctly classified patients with and without depression at a similar level as the Hamilton scale total scores (64–65% correct classification). These results suggest that the Work and Activities, and Hopelessness items may provide clinicians with useful screening questions for depression in anxious older adults.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mental Sciences Institute, University of Texas—Houston Medical School, USA

    Gretchen J. Diefenbach, Melinda A. Stanley & Alan C. Swann

  2. Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Buffalo

    J. Gayle Beck

  3. Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas—Houston Medical School, USA

    Diane M. Novy

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Harris County Psychiatric Center, University of Texas—Houston Medical School, USA

    Patricia M. Averill

Authors
  1. Gretchen J. Diefenbach
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  2. Melinda A. Stanley
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  3. J. Gayle Beck
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  4. Diane M. Novy
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  5. Patricia M. Averill
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  6. Alan C. Swann
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Diefenbach, G.J., Stanley, M.A., Beck, J.G. et al. Examination of the Hamilton Scales in Assessment of Anxious Older Adults: A Replication and Extension. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment 23, 117–124 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010967725849

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