Background: Generalized Anxiety Disorder is predominant in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale psychometric properties have never been tested in CHD pop-ulations. This study aims to verify the GAD-7 psychometric properties and measurement invariance in an Italian CHD sample.Method: A baseline data secondary analysis from HEARTS-IN-DYADS study. Several healthcare facilities enrolled an adult inpatient sample. Anxiety and depression data were collected using GAD-7 and Patient Health Ques-tionnaire 9 (PHQ-9). Factorial validity was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis; construct validity was tested by correlating GAD-7 scores with PHQ-9 scores and other sociodemographic characteristics; internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and the composite reliability index, while confir-matory multigroup factor analysis was employed to investigate measurement invariance across gender and age (65 vs. 65).Results: We enrolled 398 patients (mean age 64.7 years; 78.9 % male; 66.8 % married). Factor structure was confirmed as unidimensional. Construct validity was confirmed with significant associations between GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores, female gender, having a caregiver, and being employed. Cronbach's alpha and composite reli-ability index were 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. Measurement invariance across gender and age was confirmed at the scalar level.Limitations: A convenience sample in one European country, a small female sample, validity testing against a single criterion.Conclusion: Study results demonstrate adequate validity and reliability of the GAD-7 in an Italian CHD sample. It showed satisfactory invariance properties; GAD-7 is suitable for measuring anxiety in CHD while making sig-nificant comparisons of scores among stratified gender and age groups.

Psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the 7-item General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) in an Italian coronary heart disease population / T. Bolgeo, R. Di Matteo, N. Simonelli, A. Dal Molin, M. Lusignani, B. Bassola, E. Vellone, A. Maconi, P. Iovino. - In: JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS. - ISSN 0165-0327. - 334:(2023), pp. 213-219. [10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.140]

Psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the 7-item General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) in an Italian coronary heart disease population

M. Lusignani;
2023

Abstract

Background: Generalized Anxiety Disorder is predominant in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale psychometric properties have never been tested in CHD pop-ulations. This study aims to verify the GAD-7 psychometric properties and measurement invariance in an Italian CHD sample.Method: A baseline data secondary analysis from HEARTS-IN-DYADS study. Several healthcare facilities enrolled an adult inpatient sample. Anxiety and depression data were collected using GAD-7 and Patient Health Ques-tionnaire 9 (PHQ-9). Factorial validity was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis; construct validity was tested by correlating GAD-7 scores with PHQ-9 scores and other sociodemographic characteristics; internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and the composite reliability index, while confir-matory multigroup factor analysis was employed to investigate measurement invariance across gender and age (65 vs. 65).Results: We enrolled 398 patients (mean age 64.7 years; 78.9 % male; 66.8 % married). Factor structure was confirmed as unidimensional. Construct validity was confirmed with significant associations between GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores, female gender, having a caregiver, and being employed. Cronbach's alpha and composite reli-ability index were 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. Measurement invariance across gender and age was confirmed at the scalar level.Limitations: A convenience sample in one European country, a small female sample, validity testing against a single criterion.Conclusion: Study results demonstrate adequate validity and reliability of the GAD-7 in an Italian CHD sample. It showed satisfactory invariance properties; GAD-7 is suitable for measuring anxiety in CHD while making sig-nificant comparisons of scores among stratified gender and age groups.
Coronary heart disease; GAD-7; Generalized anxiety disorder; Measurement invariance; Psychometric properties; Validation studies
Settore MED/45 - Scienze Infermieristiche Generali, Cliniche e Pediatriche
2023
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/999529
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