General anxiety disorder-2: Psychometric analysis using a sample of Salvadorean adults

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common psychological disorders worldwide. There are various types of anxiety disorders, one of them is generalized anxiety disorder, which is characterized by the presence of anxiety symptoms that persist for months, manifesting excessive worry in various everyday contexts, difficulty controlling worries, nervousness, difficulty relaxing and concentrating, among others. Early detection of generalized anxietyrealated symptoms will ensure accurate and effective intervention. However, brief instruments are needed to identify possible cases and continue the psychological evaluation through other tools and strategies. Therefore, this article aims to verify the psychometric properties of the General Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD2) using a sample of Salvadorean adults. The study was instrumental with a cross-sectional design. The sample was made up of 400 Salvadoran adults distributed among 200 men and 200 women. The overall average age was 33 years. The data collection technique was the survey. The results showed that the GAD-2 has acceptable psychometric properties of construct, validity and reliability. In conclusion, the GAD-2 is a brief screening instrument that has acceptable psychometric evidence to be used in the Salvadoran context.