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Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in Malaysia. Psychometrically sound measurements are urgently needed to assess anxiety symptoms. The extensively used Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) is a promising candidate. However, studies on its factorial...

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Autores principales: Pheh, Kai-Shuen, Tan, Chee-Seng, Lee, Kai Wei, Tay, Kok-Wai, Ong, Hooi Tin, Yap, Sook Fan
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10174505/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37167230
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285435
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author Pheh, Kai-Shuen
Tan, Chee-Seng
Lee, Kai Wei
Tay, Kok-Wai
Ong, Hooi Tin
Yap, Sook Fan
author_facet Pheh, Kai-Shuen
Tan, Chee-Seng
Lee, Kai Wei
Tay, Kok-Wai
Ong, Hooi Tin
Yap, Sook Fan
author_sort Pheh, Kai-Shuen
collection PubMed
description Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in Malaysia. Psychometrically sound measurements are urgently needed to assess anxiety symptoms. The extensively used Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) is a promising candidate. However, studies on its factorial validity show mixed findings. While the one-factor solution has been replicated in different cultural contexts, some studies found different factorial structures instead. This study aimed to clarify the factorial validity of the English version of the GAD-7 in the Malaysian context. The responses collected from 1272 emerging to older adults in Malaysia were randomly divided into two halves and submitted to exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) respectively. Four acceptable models were explored in EFA ranging from unidimensional factor with 7 items to 3-factor models with 6 items. The four models revealed in EFA and the other competing models found in past studies were then examined and compared using CFA. The 6-item second-order model with a general factor of anxiety and three first-order factors with two items respectively (i.e., GAD-6) showed a more harmonic result and hence, is preferable. Moreover, the GAD-6 and its three subscales also showed satisfactory internal consistency and construct validity. This study uncovers a new and unique factorial structure of the GAD screening tool that fits in the Malaysian context. The scale may reveal GAD symptomatic dimensions that guide clinical interventions.
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spelling pubmed-101745052023-05-12 Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia Pheh, Kai-Shuen Tan, Chee-Seng Lee, Kai Wei Tay, Kok-Wai Ong, Hooi Tin Yap, Sook Fan PLoS One Research Article Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in Malaysia. Psychometrically sound measurements are urgently needed to assess anxiety symptoms. The extensively used Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) is a promising candidate. However, studies on its factorial validity show mixed findings. While the one-factor solution has been replicated in different cultural contexts, some studies found different factorial structures instead. This study aimed to clarify the factorial validity of the English version of the GAD-7 in the Malaysian context. The responses collected from 1272 emerging to older adults in Malaysia were randomly divided into two halves and submitted to exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) respectively. Four acceptable models were explored in EFA ranging from unidimensional factor with 7 items to 3-factor models with 6 items. The four models revealed in EFA and the other competing models found in past studies were then examined and compared using CFA. The 6-item second-order model with a general factor of anxiety and three first-order factors with two items respectively (i.e., GAD-6) showed a more harmonic result and hence, is preferable. Moreover, the GAD-6 and its three subscales also showed satisfactory internal consistency and construct validity. This study uncovers a new and unique factorial structure of the GAD screening tool that fits in the Malaysian context. The scale may reveal GAD symptomatic dimensions that guide clinical interventions. Public Library of Science 2023-05-11 /pmc/articles/PMC10174505/ /pubmed/37167230 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285435 Text en © 2023 Pheh et al https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Research Article
Pheh, Kai-Shuen
Tan, Chee-Seng
Lee, Kai Wei
Tay, Kok-Wai
Ong, Hooi Tin
Yap, Sook Fan
Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia
title Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia
title_full Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia
title_fullStr Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia
title_short Factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7): Evidence from Malaysia
title_sort factorial structure, reliability, and construct validity of the generalized anxiety disorder 7-item (gad-7): evidence from malaysia
topic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10174505/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37167230
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285435
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