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Measures of depression in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder: A psychometric evaluation
Author(s) -
Snyder Allison G.,
Stanley Melinda A.,
Novy Diane M.,
Averill Patricia M.,
Beck J. Gayle
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6394(2000)11:3<114::aid-da5>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - anxiety , psychology , generalized anxiety disorder , convergent validity , clinical psychology , depression (economics) , psychiatry , population , beck depression inventory , construct validity , anxiety disorder , psychometrics , beck anxiety inventory , discriminant validity , major depressive disorder , internal consistency , medicine , mood , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common of the pervasive anxiety disorders among older adults, with lifetime prevalence estimates of 6%. Because of this high prevalence rate, it is important to establish the utility of assessment tools with this population. Preliminary data exist with regard to the use of anxiety measures with older anxious adults; however, no similar information is available for self‐report measures of depression in this population. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) with a sample of 54 older adults diagnosed with GAD, 22 of whom were diagnosed with a coexistent depressive disorder. Internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, construct validity, and discriminative validity of the BDI and the GDS were examined. Overall, the results support the reliability and validity of these self‐report measures of depressive symptoms in a sample of older anxious adults. Depression and Anxiety 11:114–120, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.