The Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children: Age, Gender and Clinical Invariance

Abstract

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children (PSWQ-C) is one of the most frequently used instruments to assess worry in children. The current study examines the measurement invariance of the PSWQ-C in a Romanian sample. Participants (n = 759) were recruited from both community and clinical populations. Our findings have replicated the good psychometric properties of the PSWQ-C and of the short PSWQ-C (the original scale with the negative items deleted). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis has supported measurement invariance (configural, metric, scalar) across gender, age and clinical diagnosis. Convergent validity with other assessment measures has also been established. Finally, the implications of the use of the PSWQ-C in the assessment of anxiety in children and adolescents are discussed.

Penn State Worry Questionnaire-11 validity in Colombia and factorial equivalence across gender and nonclinical and clinical samples

“…On the other hand, the analysis of factorial equivalence across nonclinical and clinical adult participants had not been explored. Overall, the findings of this study, in conjunction with those of Păsărelu et al (2017) with the children version of the PSWQ, point to considering that the PSWQ is invariant across gender and clinical and nonclinical participants.…”

“…They found that factorial equivalence across countries could be assumed for women but not for men. Lastly, Păsărelu et al (2017) found factorial equivalence across gender, age and clinical diagnosis using the version of the PSWQ for children (i.e., PSWQ-C). The PSWQ-C was the result of a grammar analysis and the items were reworded to be readable for children (Chorpita, Tracey, Brown, Collica, & Barlow, 1997).…”

Prevalence and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders Comorbidities in a Clinical Romanian Sample of Children and Adolescents with Psychiatric Disorders

“…Therefore, diagnoses in ICD are made based on essential features, with the expectation that the clinicians will use their clinical judgment on exact symptom counts and duration in a manner that is consistent with the diagnostic guidance provided [5]. Although this descriptive diagnosis criteria facilitated the development of diagnostic instruments for AD assessment [6][7][8][9][10], clinicians should be aware of their limitations, particularly related to developmental issues in obtaining self-reports from children and adolescents [11]. Due to these considerations, the core diagnostic criteria might present differently in the young, requiring special assessment strategies.…”

Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance Across Gender and Age-Group of the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire–Children (PTQ-C) in Colombia

“…Worry and rumination are frequent phenomena in children and adolescents. On the one hand, studies show that more than 70% of fifth- and sixth-grade children report worries about school, illness, dying, and social problems (Henker, Whalen, & O’Neil, 1995; McEvoy, Watson, Watkins, & Nathan, 2013; Păsărelu et al, 2016; Silverman, LaGreca, & Wasserstein, 1995). In nonclinical youths, high levels of worry have been associated with the presence of anxiety and panic symptoms (Leen-Feldner, Feldner, Tull, Roemer, & Zvolensky, 2006; Păsărelu et al, 2016; Weems, Silverman, & La Greca, 2000), whereas in clinical youths, high levels of worry have been identified in generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, and social anxiety disorders (Perrin & Last, 1997; Weems et al, 2000).…”

“…On the one hand, studies show that more than 70% of fifth- and sixth-grade children report worries about school, illness, dying, and social problems (Henker, Whalen, & O’Neil, 1995; McEvoy, Watson, Watkins, & Nathan, 2013; Păsărelu et al, 2016; Silverman, LaGreca, & Wasserstein, 1995). In nonclinical youths, high levels of worry have been associated with the presence of anxiety and panic symptoms (Leen-Feldner, Feldner, Tull, Roemer, & Zvolensky, 2006; Păsărelu et al, 2016; Weems, Silverman, & La Greca, 2000), whereas in clinical youths, high levels of worry have been identified in generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, and social anxiety disorders (Perrin & Last, 1997; Weems et al, 2000). On the other hand, rumination in youth has been closely associated with concurrent levels of depressive symptomatology (Abela, Vanderbilt, & Rochon, 2004; Muris, Roelofs, Meesters, & Boomsma, 2004; Papadakis, Prince, Jones, & Strauman, 2006), and may predict its increase over time (Abela, Aydin, & Auerbach, 2007; Abela, Brozina, & Haigh, 2002; Burwell & Shirk, 2007; Schwartz & Koenig, 1996).…”