PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE UKRAINIAN VERSION OF THE  GAD-7 SCALE AND ITS SHORT FORMS GAD-4 AND GAD-2

Denys Lavrynenko; Illia Zarubin; Nadiia Aleksina; Olga Gerasimenko

doi:10.48020/mppj.2026.01.05

Denys Lavrynenko Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman, Kyiv, Ukraine
Illia Zarubin Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
Nadiia Aleksina Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
Olga Gerasimenko The Wright Institute, USA; Institute of Psychological Services “Excess,” USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.48020/mppj.2026.01.05

Keywords: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, GAD, GAD-7 Scale, GAD-2 scale, Psychometric Properties, Student Population, Anxiety Screening

Abstract

Background. In the context of increasing prevalence of anxiety disorders, particularly under wartime conditions in Ukraine, there is an urgent need for validated screening instruments. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry about everyday events that persists for a minimum of six months and is accompanied by somatic symptoms. The general anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7) is a widely utilized self-report instrument in research, facilitating rapid assessment of anxiety levels in both clinical and general populations. Objective and methods. The objective of this study was to psychometrically evaluate the Ukrainian version of the GAD-7 scale and its short forms (GAD-4 and GAD-2) in a student sample. A total of 596 students participated in the study, with data collected online in two waves, one month apart. Results. The GAD-7 demonstrated high internal consistency (α=0.854; ω=0.855) and strong test–retest reliability (r=0.751, p<0.001). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the hypothesized unidimensional structure of the scale. The abbreviated versions also showed acceptable model fit, and the GAD-2 demonstrated strong predictive validity (AUC = 0.862). Conclusion. These findings support the reliability and validity of the Ukrainian GAD-7 and the appropriateness of its short forms for screening purposes in the university student population.