Psychometric evaluation of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener GAD-7, based on a large German general population sample.

Abstract Background The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scales GAD-7 and GAD-2 are instruments for the assessment of anxiety. The aims of this study are to test psychometric properties of these questionnaires, to provide normative values, and to investigate associations with sociodemographic factors, quality of life, psychological variables, and behavioral factors. Methods A German community sample (n=9721) with an age range of 18–80 years was surveyed using the GAD-7 and several other questionnaires. Results Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the unidimensionality and measurement invariance of the GAD-7 across age and gender. Females were more anxious than males (mean scores: M=4.07 vs. M…