Examining the psychometric properties of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) among Ecuadorian university students

The purpose of this study was to establish the validity of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) among university students in Ecuador. This study employed instrumental methodology, drawing on Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). The sample consisted of 623 college students aged 18 to 38 (M = 20; SD = 2.4), of whom 59.6% were women and 39.4% were men. These students came from three universities in Ambato (Ecuador), with the majority (86.9%) attending private institutions. As results, it was confirmed that the GAD-7 has a unidimensional structure, high internal consistency, and convergent validity with a measure of pathological worry. Additionally, the scale demonstrated measurement equivalence across sex and the items exhibited appropriate discrimination and difficulty parameters. Finally, the GAD-7 is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing anxiety among university students in Ecuador.