Validity and reliability of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory in Parkinson's disease*

Aim: To examine the psychometric properties of a novel anxiety rating scale, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Method: The predictive validity of the GAI was tested against the presence of any DSM-IV anxiety disorders in 58 PD patients using receiver operating curve analysis. The concurrent validity of this scale was also studied against the state half of the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory ( STAI). The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the GAI were also examined. Results: The GAI displayed good concurrent validity against the STAI and the DSM-IV. It also showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Conclusions: This study suggested that the GAI is an appropriate scale to use in non-demented PD patients.