Anxiety is a prevalent illness among older adults, and it should be assessed using psychometrically robust diagnostic tools owing to the fact that physical symptoms suppress geriatric anxiety. It is challenging to assess anxiety in older people due to variations in worries, such as older adults being more concerned about their lives and complaining of decreased arousal. The Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) is a new, well-known, and adaptable measure created to evaluate anxiety in the older population while avoiding the abovementioned issues. The present study aims to measure the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the GAI in a Turkish sample of older adults (n = 199). In the current research, ninety-four male (47.2%) and one hundred five female (52.8%) participants are enrolled. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) proves that the GAI three-dimensional model is statistically significant. Good internal consistency results and corrected item-total correlations prove the inventory's reliability. Additionally, concurrent validity is shown to be reasonable based on the association between geriatric anxiety and many conceptually related variables (general anxiety, life satisfaction, positive and negative affect), and discriminant validity is found to be satisfactory based on the correlation between geriatric anxiety and an unrelated measure (social desirability). The psychometric characteristics of the GAI are discussed in light of current findings on the value of evidence-based evaluation in older people.
Alwahhabi, F. (2003). Anxiety symptoms and generalized anxiety disorder in the elderly: a review. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 11(4), 180-193. https://doi.org/10.1080/10673220303944
Arbuckle, J. L. (2019). Amos. In (Version 26) [Computer software]. IBM SPSS, Amos Development Corporation.
Areán, P. A. (1997). Psychometric evaluation of the Beck Anxiety Inventory with older medical patients. Psychological Assessment, 9(2), 136-144.
Ayers, C. R., Sorrell, J. T., Thorp, S. R., & Wetherell, J. L. (2007). Evidence-based psychological treatments for late-life anxiety. Psychology and Aging, 22(1), 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.22.1.8
Beck, A. T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R. A. (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56(6), 893-897. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.56.6.893
Bentler, P. M., & Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance Tests and Goodness of Fit in the Analysis of Covariance-Structures. Psychological Bulletin, 88(3), 588-606. https://doi.org/Doi 10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.238
Bollen, K., & Lennox, R. (1991). Conventional Wisdom on Measurement - a Structural Equation Perspective. Psychological Bulletin, 110(2), 305-314. https://doi.org/Doi 10.1037/0033-2909.110.2.305
Byrne, G. J., & Pachana, N. A. (2011). Development and validation of a short form of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory--the GAI-SF. International Psychogeriatrics, 23(1), 125-131. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610210001237
Byrne, G. J., Pachana, N. A., Goncalves, D. C., Arnold, E., King, R., & Khoo, S. K. (2010). Psychometric properties and health correlates of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory in Australian community-residing older women. Aging & Mental Health, 14(3), 247-254. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607861003587628
Champagne, A., Landreville, P., & Gosselin, P. (2021). A Systematic Review of the Psychometric Properties of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Canadian Journal on Aging. La Revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement, 40(3), 376-395. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980820000185
Champagne, A., Landreville, P., Gosselin, P., & Carmichael, P. H. (2018). Psychometric properties of the French Canadian version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Aging & Mental Health, 22(1), 40-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1226767
Diefenbach, G. J., Tolin, D. F., Meunier, S. A., & Gilliam, C. M. (2009). Assessment of anxiety in older home care recipients. Gerontologist, 49(2), 141-153. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnp019
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71-75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13
Durak, M., Senol-Durak, E., & Gencoz, T. (2010). Psychometric Properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale among Turkish University Students, Correctional Officers, and Elderly Adults. Social Indicators Research, 99(3), 413-429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9589-4
Gencoz, T. (2000). Positive and negative affect schedule: A study of validity and reliability. Turk Psikoloji Dergisi, 15(46), 19-28.
Goldberg, D. P., & Hillier, V. F. (1979). A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psychological Medicine, 9(1), 139-145. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700021644
Gould, C. E., Kok, B. C., Ma, V. K., & Edelstein, B. A. (2021). Clinical Assessment of Late-Life Anxiety. In G. J. Byrne & N. A. Pachana (Eds.), Anxiety in Older People (pp. 79-96). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781139087469.006
Gould, C. E., Segal, D. L., Yochim, B. P., Pachana, N. A., Byrne, G. J., & Beaudreau, S. A. (2014). Measuring anxiety in late life: a psychometric examination of the geriatric anxiety inventory and geriatric anxiety scale. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(8), 804-811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.08.001
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff Criteria for Fit Indexes in Covariance Structure Analysis: Conventional Criteria Versus New Alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling-a Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
IBM-Corp. (2019). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows. In (Version 26) [Computer software]. IBM Corporation.
Johnco, C., Knight, A., Tadic, D., & Wuthrich, V. M. (2015). Psychometric properties of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and its short-form (GAI-SF) in a clinical and non-clinical sample of older adults. International Psychogeriatrics, 27(7), 1089-1097. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610214001586
Kashimura, M., Ishizu, K., Fukumori, T., Ishiwata, A., Tateno, A., Nomura, T., & Pachana, N. A. (2021). Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory for community-dwelling older adults. Psychogeriatrics, 21(3), 378-386. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.12683
Kline, R. B. (2016). Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling (4 ed.). Guilford Publications.
Kogan, J. N., Edelstein, B. A., & McKee, D. R. (2000). Assessment of anxiety in older adults: current status. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 14(2), 109-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0887-6185(99)00044-4
Kvaal, K., Ulstein, I., Nordhus, I. H., & Engedal, K. (2005). The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI): the state scale in detecting mental disorders in geriatric patients. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(7), 629-634. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.1330
Marquez-Gonzalez, M., Losada, A., Fernandez-Fernandez, V., & Pachana, N. A. (2012). Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. International Psychogeriatrics, 24(1), 137-144. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610211001505
Massena, P. N., de Araujo, N. B., Pachana, N., Laks, J., & de Padua, A. C. (2015). Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of Geriatric Anxiety Inventory--GAI-BR. International Psychogeriatrics, 27(7), 1113-1119. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610214001021
Meyer, T. J., Miller, M. L., Metzger, R. L., & Borkovec, T. D. (1990). Development and validation of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 28(6), 487-495. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(90)90135-6
Miranda-Castillo, C., Contreras, D., Garay, K., Martinez, P., Leon-Campos, M. O., Farhang, M., Moran, J., & Fernandez-
Fernandez, V. (2019). Validation of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory in Chilean older people. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 83, 81-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2019.03.019
Pachana, N. A., Byrne, G. J., Siddle, H., Koloski, N., Harley, E., & Arnold, E. (2007). Development and validation of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. International Psychogeriatrics, 19(1), 103-114. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610206003504
Ribeiro, O., Paul, C., Simoes, M. R., & Firmino, H. (2011). Portuguese version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory: transcultural adaptation and psychometric validation. Aging & Mental Health, 15(6), 742-748. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2011.562177
Rozzini, L., Chilovi, B. V., Peli, M., Conti, M., Rozzini, R., Trabucchi, M., & Padovani, A. (2009). Anxiety symptoms in mild cognitive impairment. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(3), 300-305. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.2106
Schermelleh-Engel, K., Moosbrugger, H., & Müller, H. (2003). Evaluating the fit of structural equation models: Tests of significance and descriptive goodness-of-fit measures. Methods of psychological research online, 8(2), 23-74.
Shati, M., Mortazavi, S. S., Taban, M., Malakouti, S. K., Mehravaran, S., Norouzi, A., & Pachana, N. A. (2021). Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI-PV) and its short form [Original Research]. Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 35(1), 47. https://doi.org/10.47176/mjiri.35.47
Stöber, J. (2001). The Social Desirability Scale-17 (SDS-17). European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 17(3), 222-232. https://doi.org/10.1027//1015-5759.17.3.222
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using Multivariate Statistics (6 ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Therrien, Z., & Hunsley, J. (2012). Assessment of anxiety in older adults: a systematic review of commonly used measures. Aging & Mental Health, 16(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2011.602960
Ulusoy, M., Sahin, N. H., & Erkmen, H. (1998). Turkish version of the Beck Anxiety Inventory: psychometric properties. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 12(2), 163.
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063-1070. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063
Wetherell, J. L., Thorp, S. R., Patterson, T. L., Golshan, S., Jeste, D. V., & Gatz, M. (2004). Quality of life in geriatric generalized anxiety disorder: a preliminary investigation. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 38(3), 305-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2003.09.003
Wolitzky-Taylor, K. B., Castriotta, N., Lenze, E. J., Stanley, M. A., & Craske, M. G. (2010). Anxiety disorders in older adults: a comprehensive review. Depression and Anxiety, 27(2), 190-211. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20653
Zigmond, A. S., & Snaith, R. P. (1983). The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 67(6), 361-370. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x
Year 2021,
Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 31 - 39, 15.12.2021
Alwahhabi, F. (2003). Anxiety symptoms and generalized anxiety disorder in the elderly: a review. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 11(4), 180-193. https://doi.org/10.1080/10673220303944
Arbuckle, J. L. (2019). Amos. In (Version 26) [Computer software]. IBM SPSS, Amos Development Corporation.
Areán, P. A. (1997). Psychometric evaluation of the Beck Anxiety Inventory with older medical patients. Psychological Assessment, 9(2), 136-144.
Ayers, C. R., Sorrell, J. T., Thorp, S. R., & Wetherell, J. L. (2007). Evidence-based psychological treatments for late-life anxiety. Psychology and Aging, 22(1), 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.22.1.8
Beck, A. T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R. A. (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56(6), 893-897. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.56.6.893
Bentler, P. M., & Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance Tests and Goodness of Fit in the Analysis of Covariance-Structures. Psychological Bulletin, 88(3), 588-606. https://doi.org/Doi 10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.238
Bollen, K., & Lennox, R. (1991). Conventional Wisdom on Measurement - a Structural Equation Perspective. Psychological Bulletin, 110(2), 305-314. https://doi.org/Doi 10.1037/0033-2909.110.2.305
Byrne, G. J., & Pachana, N. A. (2011). Development and validation of a short form of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory--the GAI-SF. International Psychogeriatrics, 23(1), 125-131. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610210001237
Byrne, G. J., Pachana, N. A., Goncalves, D. C., Arnold, E., King, R., & Khoo, S. K. (2010). Psychometric properties and health correlates of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory in Australian community-residing older women. Aging & Mental Health, 14(3), 247-254. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607861003587628
Champagne, A., Landreville, P., & Gosselin, P. (2021). A Systematic Review of the Psychometric Properties of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Canadian Journal on Aging. La Revue Canadienne Du Vieillissement, 40(3), 376-395. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980820000185
Champagne, A., Landreville, P., Gosselin, P., & Carmichael, P. H. (2018). Psychometric properties of the French Canadian version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Aging & Mental Health, 22(1), 40-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1226767
Diefenbach, G. J., Tolin, D. F., Meunier, S. A., & Gilliam, C. M. (2009). Assessment of anxiety in older home care recipients. Gerontologist, 49(2), 141-153. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnp019
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71-75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13
Durak, M., Senol-Durak, E., & Gencoz, T. (2010). Psychometric Properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale among Turkish University Students, Correctional Officers, and Elderly Adults. Social Indicators Research, 99(3), 413-429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9589-4
Gencoz, T. (2000). Positive and negative affect schedule: A study of validity and reliability. Turk Psikoloji Dergisi, 15(46), 19-28.
Goldberg, D. P., & Hillier, V. F. (1979). A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psychological Medicine, 9(1), 139-145. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700021644
Gould, C. E., Kok, B. C., Ma, V. K., & Edelstein, B. A. (2021). Clinical Assessment of Late-Life Anxiety. In G. J. Byrne & N. A. Pachana (Eds.), Anxiety in Older People (pp. 79-96). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781139087469.006
Gould, C. E., Segal, D. L., Yochim, B. P., Pachana, N. A., Byrne, G. J., & Beaudreau, S. A. (2014). Measuring anxiety in late life: a psychometric examination of the geriatric anxiety inventory and geriatric anxiety scale. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(8), 804-811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.08.001
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff Criteria for Fit Indexes in Covariance Structure Analysis: Conventional Criteria Versus New Alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling-a Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
IBM-Corp. (2019). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows. In (Version 26) [Computer software]. IBM Corporation.
Johnco, C., Knight, A., Tadic, D., & Wuthrich, V. M. (2015). Psychometric properties of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and its short-form (GAI-SF) in a clinical and non-clinical sample of older adults. International Psychogeriatrics, 27(7), 1089-1097. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610214001586
Kashimura, M., Ishizu, K., Fukumori, T., Ishiwata, A., Tateno, A., Nomura, T., & Pachana, N. A. (2021). Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory for community-dwelling older adults. Psychogeriatrics, 21(3), 378-386. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.12683
Kline, R. B. (2016). Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling (4 ed.). Guilford Publications.
Kogan, J. N., Edelstein, B. A., & McKee, D. R. (2000). Assessment of anxiety in older adults: current status. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 14(2), 109-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0887-6185(99)00044-4
Kvaal, K., Ulstein, I., Nordhus, I. H., & Engedal, K. (2005). The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI): the state scale in detecting mental disorders in geriatric patients. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(7), 629-634. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.1330
Marquez-Gonzalez, M., Losada, A., Fernandez-Fernandez, V., & Pachana, N. A. (2012). Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. International Psychogeriatrics, 24(1), 137-144. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610211001505
Massena, P. N., de Araujo, N. B., Pachana, N., Laks, J., & de Padua, A. C. (2015). Validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of Geriatric Anxiety Inventory--GAI-BR. International Psychogeriatrics, 27(7), 1113-1119. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610214001021
Meyer, T. J., Miller, M. L., Metzger, R. L., & Borkovec, T. D. (1990). Development and validation of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 28(6), 487-495. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(90)90135-6
Miranda-Castillo, C., Contreras, D., Garay, K., Martinez, P., Leon-Campos, M. O., Farhang, M., Moran, J., & Fernandez-
Fernandez, V. (2019). Validation of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory in Chilean older people. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 83, 81-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2019.03.019
Pachana, N. A., Byrne, G. J., Siddle, H., Koloski, N., Harley, E., & Arnold, E. (2007). Development and validation of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. International Psychogeriatrics, 19(1), 103-114. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610206003504
Ribeiro, O., Paul, C., Simoes, M. R., & Firmino, H. (2011). Portuguese version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory: transcultural adaptation and psychometric validation. Aging & Mental Health, 15(6), 742-748. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2011.562177
Rozzini, L., Chilovi, B. V., Peli, M., Conti, M., Rozzini, R., Trabucchi, M., & Padovani, A. (2009). Anxiety symptoms in mild cognitive impairment. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(3), 300-305. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.2106
Schermelleh-Engel, K., Moosbrugger, H., & Müller, H. (2003). Evaluating the fit of structural equation models: Tests of significance and descriptive goodness-of-fit measures. Methods of psychological research online, 8(2), 23-74.
Shati, M., Mortazavi, S. S., Taban, M., Malakouti, S. K., Mehravaran, S., Norouzi, A., & Pachana, N. A. (2021). Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI-PV) and its short form [Original Research]. Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 35(1), 47. https://doi.org/10.47176/mjiri.35.47
Stöber, J. (2001). The Social Desirability Scale-17 (SDS-17). European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 17(3), 222-232. https://doi.org/10.1027//1015-5759.17.3.222
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using Multivariate Statistics (6 ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Therrien, Z., & Hunsley, J. (2012). Assessment of anxiety in older adults: a systematic review of commonly used measures. Aging & Mental Health, 16(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2011.602960
Ulusoy, M., Sahin, N. H., & Erkmen, H. (1998). Turkish version of the Beck Anxiety Inventory: psychometric properties. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 12(2), 163.
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063-1070. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063
Wetherell, J. L., Thorp, S. R., Patterson, T. L., Golshan, S., Jeste, D. V., & Gatz, M. (2004). Quality of life in geriatric generalized anxiety disorder: a preliminary investigation. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 38(3), 305-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2003.09.003
Wolitzky-Taylor, K. B., Castriotta, N., Lenze, E. J., Stanley, M. A., & Craske, M. G. (2010). Anxiety disorders in older adults: a comprehensive review. Depression and Anxiety, 27(2), 190-211. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20653
Zigmond, A. S., & Snaith, R. P. (1983). The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 67(6), 361-370. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x
Durak, M., & Şenol Durak, E. (2021). Testing the Psychometric Properties of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory in a Sample of Older Adults in Turkey. Journal of Aging and Long-Term Care, 4(2), 31-39. https://doi.org/10.51819/jaltc.2021.1089891
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The National and Applied Gerontology Association (NASAG) is a leading non-profit organization in Türkiye that promotes healthy and productive aging via evidence-based research. The utilization of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in gerontology is crucial in integrating research, practice, and policy, given the need for evidence-based programming to improve the quality of life in old age. As an advocate for social action for older people, the NASAG is particularly concerned that public policies are strongly and genuinely focused on supporting and protecting the most vulnerable, marginalized, or disadvantaged older people.
The NASAG has been a member of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) since 2007.