Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Bártolo, Ana
Data de Publicação: 2017
Outros Autores: Monteiro, Sara, Pereira, Anabela
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/38506
Resumo: The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale has been presented as a reliable and valid measure to assess generalized anxiety symptoms in several clinical settings and among the general population. However, some researches did not support the original one-dimensional structure of the GAD-7 tool. Our main aim was to examine the factor structure of GAD-7 comparing the one-factor model fit with a two-factor model (3 somatic nature symptoms and 4 cognitive-emotional nature symptoms) in a sample of college students. This validation study with data collected cross-sectionally included 1,031 Portuguese college students attending courses in the six schools of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Measures included the GAD-7, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the University Student Risk Behaviors Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures confirmed that neither factor structure was well fitting. Thus, a modified single factor model allowing the error terms of items associated with relaxing difficulties and irritability to covary was an appropriate solution. Additionally, this factor structure revealed configural and metric invariance across gender. A good convergent validity was found by correlating global anxiety and depression. However, this measure showed a weak association with consumption behaviors. Our results are relevant to clinical practice, since the comprehensive approach to GAD-7 contributes to knowing generalized anxiety symptoms trajectory and their correlates within the university setting.
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spelling Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college studentsAnxietyStudentsSurveys and QuestionnairesThe Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale has been presented as a reliable and valid measure to assess generalized anxiety symptoms in several clinical settings and among the general population. However, some researches did not support the original one-dimensional structure of the GAD-7 tool. Our main aim was to examine the factor structure of GAD-7 comparing the one-factor model fit with a two-factor model (3 somatic nature symptoms and 4 cognitive-emotional nature symptoms) in a sample of college students. This validation study with data collected cross-sectionally included 1,031 Portuguese college students attending courses in the six schools of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Measures included the GAD-7, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the University Student Risk Behaviors Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures confirmed that neither factor structure was well fitting. Thus, a modified single factor model allowing the error terms of items associated with relaxing difficulties and irritability to covary was an appropriate solution. Additionally, this factor structure revealed configural and metric invariance across gender. A good convergent validity was found by correlating global anxiety and depression. However, this measure showed a weak association with consumption behaviors. Our results are relevant to clinical practice, since the comprehensive approach to GAD-7 contributes to knowing generalized anxiety symptoms trajectory and their correlates within the university setting.A escala Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) tem sido apresentada como medida confiável e válida para avaliar os sintomas da ansiedade generalizada em diversos contextos clínicos e na população geral. Entretanto, algumas pesquisas deixam de apoiar a estrutura unidimensional original da ferramenta GAD-7. O estudo teve como objetivo principal examinar a estrutura fatorial da GAD-7, comparando o ajuste do modelo com um fator versus dois fatores (três sintomas de natureza somática e quatro sintomas de natureza cognitivo-emocional) em uma amostra de alunos universitários. O estudo de validação, com coleta de dados transversais, incluiu 1.031 universitários portugueses matriculados nas seis escolas do Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. As medidas incluíram a escala GAD-7, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) e University Student Risk Behaviors Questionnaire. Os procedimentos da análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC) confirmaram que nenhuma das estruturas fatoriais demonstrou bom ajuste. Portanto, uma solução apropriada seria um modelo unifatorial modificado que permitisse a covariância dos termos de erro dos itens associados a dificuldades de relaxamento e irritabilidade. Além disso, essa estrutura fatorial revelou invariância métrica e de configuração entre os sexos. Foi encontrada uma boa validade convergente ao correlacionar a ansiedade global com a depressão. Entretanto, essa medida mostrou fraca associação com comportamentos de consumo. Nossos resultados são relevantes para a prática clínica, uma vez que a abordagem abrangente à escala GAD-7 contribui para o conhecimento da história dos sintomas de ansiedade generalizada e seus correlatos no contexto universitário.La escala de la Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) se ha presentado como una medida confiable y válida para evaluar los síntomas de ansiedad generalizada en varios contextos clínicos y entre la población en general. Sin embargo, algunas investigaciones no apoyan la estructura original unidimensional de la herramienta GAD-7. Nuestro objetivo principal fue examinar la estructura de factores de GAD-7 comparando el ajuste de modelo de un factor con un modelo de dos factores (tres síntomas de naturaleza somática y cuatro síntomas de naturaleza cognitivo-emocional) en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios. Este estudio de validación con datos recogidos transversalmente incluyó 1.031 estudiantes universitarios portugueses que asisten a cursos en las seis escuelas del Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Las medidas incluyeron el GAD-7, la Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) y University Student Risk Behaviors Questionnaire. Los procedimientos de análisis factorial confirmatorio (CFA) confirmaron que ninguna de las estructuras de factores era adecuada. Así, un modelo de factor único modificado que permite los términos de error de los elementos asociados con las dificultades de relajación y la irritabilidad a covaria fue una solución adecuada. Adicionalmente, esta estructura de factores reveló la invariancia configural y métrica a través del género. Se encontró una buena validez convergente al correlacionar la ansiedad y la depresión globales. Sin embargo, esta medida mostró una asociación débil con los comportamientos de consumo. Nuestros resultados son relevantes para la práctica clínica, ya que el enfoque integral de GAD-7 contribuye a conocer la trayectoria de síntomas ansiedad generalizada y sus correlatos en el ámbito universitario.Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP/Fiocruz)2023-07-10T15:42:51Z2017-01-01T00:00:00Z2017info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10773/38506eng0102-311X10.1590/0102-311x00212716Bártolo, AnaMonteiro, SaraPereira, Anabelainfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2024-02-22T12:15:06Zoai:ria.ua.pt:10773/38506Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-20T03:08:54.836132Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
title Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
spellingShingle Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
Bártolo, Ana
Anxiety
Students
Surveys and Questionnaires
title_short Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
title_full Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
title_fullStr Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
title_full_unstemmed Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
title_sort Factor structure and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) among Portuguese college students
author Bártolo, Ana
author_facet Bártolo, Ana
Monteiro, Sara
Pereira, Anabela
author_role author
author2 Monteiro, Sara
Pereira, Anabela
author2_role author
author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Bártolo, Ana
Monteiro, Sara
Pereira, Anabela
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Anxiety
Students
Surveys and Questionnaires
topic Anxiety
Students
Surveys and Questionnaires
description The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale has been presented as a reliable and valid measure to assess generalized anxiety symptoms in several clinical settings and among the general population. However, some researches did not support the original one-dimensional structure of the GAD-7 tool. Our main aim was to examine the factor structure of GAD-7 comparing the one-factor model fit with a two-factor model (3 somatic nature symptoms and 4 cognitive-emotional nature symptoms) in a sample of college students. This validation study with data collected cross-sectionally included 1,031 Portuguese college students attending courses in the six schools of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Measures included the GAD-7, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the University Student Risk Behaviors Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) procedures confirmed that neither factor structure was well fitting. Thus, a modified single factor model allowing the error terms of items associated with relaxing difficulties and irritability to covary was an appropriate solution. Additionally, this factor structure revealed configural and metric invariance across gender. A good convergent validity was found by correlating global anxiety and depression. However, this measure showed a weak association with consumption behaviors. Our results are relevant to clinical practice, since the comprehensive approach to GAD-7 contributes to knowing generalized anxiety symptoms trajectory and their correlates within the university setting.
publishDate 2017
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z
2017
2023-07-10T15:42:51Z
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10773/38506
url http://hdl.handle.net/10773/38506
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 0102-311X
10.1590/0102-311x00212716
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dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP/Fiocruz)
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP/Fiocruz)
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
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