title: Screening for generalized anxiety disorder using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire: a receiver operating characteristic analysis.
abstract: The present study examined the usefulness of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) as a means of screening for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Using receiver operating characteristic analyses, the accuracy of the PSWQ in screening for GAD was examined in both clinical and analogue diagnosed GAD samples. Given high comorbidity between GAD and other emotional disorders, we also investigated the usefulness of the PSWQ in selecting non-cases of GAD that were also free of PTSD, social phobia, or depression versus non-cases of GAD that met criteria for one of these conditions. The overall usefulness of the PSWQ as a screening device is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, Bruce V Moore Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Behar
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alcaine
authors.forename: Andrea R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Zuellig
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Borkovec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires