title: The DSM-IV-based Generalized Anxiety Disorder Severity Scale: preliminary validation using data from a trial of agomelatine versus placebo.
abstract: Currently available symptom severity measures for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) are not optimal. This study investigates the reliability and validity of a new measure for GAD. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Severity Scale (DGSS), comprising 8 DSM-IV GAD symptoms assessed in terms of frequency and intensity, was used in a trial of agomelatine versus placebo for the treatment of GAD. Internal reliability, concurrent validity, responsiveness to change, most robust items, and factor structure were computed. The DGSS demonstrated good internal reliability, correlated significantly with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Clinical Global Impression severity scale, and demonstrated a clear change in response to agomelatine. The most robust DGSS items were derived, and an exploratory factor analysis yielded a 2-factor structure of the DGSS. The DGSS is potentially a useful scale for the assessment of GAD in clinical trials of this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, South Africa. dan.stein@uct.ac.za
authors.forename: Dan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Dylan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fincham
authors.forename: Soraya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seedat
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Bodinat
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahokas
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D009281:Naphthalenes
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; C084711:agomelatine; D009281:Naphthalenes