Screening for generalized anxiety disorder using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire: a receiver operating...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Anxiety Disorders

Background:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent condition often comorbid with other emotional disorders.
• Accurate screening tools are crucial for timely diagnosis and intervention in GAD.
• The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is a widely used measure of worry, but its screening utility for GAD requires further examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) for screening generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
• To assess the PSWQ's effectiveness in differentiating GAD cases from non-cases, considering comorbid conditions like PTSD, social phobia, and depression.

Main Methods:

• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were employed to determine the accuracy of the PSWQ.
• The study included both clinically diagnosed GAD samples and analogue GAD samples.
• The PSWQ's performance was assessed in identifying individuals with GAD and distinguishing them from non-cases with and without other psychiatric conditions.

Main Results:

• The PSWQ demonstrated significant accuracy in screening for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) across different samples.
• The questionnaire effectively identified individuals with GAD and also showed utility in selecting non-cases free from comorbid conditions.
• Specific cut-off scores on the PSWQ were associated with varying levels of sensitivity and specificity for GAD detection.

Conclusions:

• The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is a valuable and accurate tool for screening generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
• Its utility extends to differentiating GAD from other emotional disorders, aiding in differential diagnosis.
• The PSWQ can be reliably used in clinical and analogue settings to identify individuals who may warrant further assessment for GAD.