Development and preliminary evaluation of the anxiety in cognitive impairment and dementia (ACID) scales.

Background: Although rates of anxiety tend to decrease across late life, rates of anxiety increase among a subset of older adults, those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. Our understanding of anxiety in dementia is limited, in part, by a lack of anxiety measures designed for use with this population. This study sought to address limitations of the literature by developing a new measure of anxiety for cognitively impaired individuals, the anxiety in cognitive impairment and dementia (ACID) Scales, which includes both proxy (ACID-PR) and self-report (ACID-SR) versions.

Initial evaluation of the Older Adult Social-Evaluative Situations Questionnaire: a measure of social anxiety in older adults.

Background: The assessment of social anxiety in late life has been examined in few studies (e.g. Gretarsdottir et al.

A preliminary investigation of developmentally sensitive items for the assessment of social anxiety in late life.

The current study aimed to examine the salience of anxiety-provoking social situations for older adults. A list of potentially anxiety-provoking situations was developed from a review of existing measures of social anxiety. In addition to items derived from existing measures, the investigators generated items thought to be particularly relevant for older adults.

Escitalopram for older adults with generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in older adults; however, few data exist to guide clinicians in efficacious and safe treatment. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are efficacious for younger adults with GAD, but benefits and risks may be different in older adults.

Objective: To examine the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the SSRI escitalopram in older adults with GAD.

Generalized anxiety disorder severity scale validation in older adults.

Objectives: The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Severity Scale (GADSS) is a validated measure of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) symptom severity. Given the high prevalence of GAD in the elderly and the need for a validated scale to assess GAD severity in this age group, the authors examined the psychometric properties of the GADSS in the elderly.

Design, Setting, Participants: The authors examined a sample of 134 elderly subjects (age 60 and above) who met diagnostic criteria for current GAD, 33 healthy elderly comparison subjects (age 60 and above) and 186 younger subjects (age 18-60) diagnosed with GAD.