Assessment of anxiety in older adults: current status

In 1994 there were 33.2 million older adults (65 years of age and older) in the United States, and approximately one quarter of these older adults meet diagnostic criteria for some mental disorder. Anxiety is among the most prevalent psychiatric disorder in older adults. However, insufficient research has been conducted on the assessment of anxiety in older adults. The purpose of this article was to provide an overview of issues to consider in assessing anxiety in older adults. First, a discussion of factors that may influence current prevalence and incidence figures is provided. Second, age-related differences in factors that can influence the experience and presentation of anxiety symptoms are considered. Third, age-related factors that can influence the assessment process or outcome are presented. Fourth, a discussion on the important role of multimethod assessment and the psychometric adequacy of available anxiety assessment instruments is presented. Finally, recommendations for clinical assessment and future research are provided.