Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (835 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Uncontrolled anxiety or excessive worry that exceeds the realistic scope of life situations and endures for at least a month or longer.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Anxiety Disorder, Generalized; Anxiety Disorders, Generalized; Disorder, Generalized Anxiety; Disorders, Generalized Anxiety; Generalized Anxiety Disorders; Generalized Anxiety; Anxieties, Generalized; Anxiety, Generalized.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Anxiety Disorders
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 539 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Generalized Anxiety Disorder” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 539 of them (100.0%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 539 records.
Reviews account for 50 records (9.3%) and meta-analyses for 25. Randomized controlled trials number 51 (9.5%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up a comparatively large share of this literature, which means many treatment questions have been tested directly.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 0 |
| 2010-2019 | 0 |
| 2020 onward | 539 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 50 | 9.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 25 | 4.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 51 | 9.5% |
Method: PubMed query "Generalized Anxiety Disorder"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in psychiatry and psychology
Research on mental health and behaviour relies on questionnaires, interviews and rating scales rather than physical measurements, so how a condition was defined and measured shapes every result. Many studies are observational or small, placebo responses can be large, and findings in one group or culture may not carry over to another. Nothing on this page is advice about diagnosis or treatment; anyone worried about their mental health should talk to a qualified clinician. Check how outcomes were measured, who took part and how long they were followed.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychometric assessment and exploratory scale refinement of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale among adolescents and young adults in a Swedish context | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42498940 · DOI · PMC13397768 |
| Differential Prefrontal Hypoactivity in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The Influence of Nonemotional and Emotional Stimuli in a Go/No-Go Task | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42534154 · DOI · PMC13419688 |
| Association between Dietary Behavior and Mental Health in Adolescents from Multicultural and Non-Multicultural Families in Korea | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42280330 · DOI · PMC13258775 |
Psychometric assessment and exploratory scale refinement of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale among adolescents and young adults in a Swedish context [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundThe Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) could provide currently lacking data on anxiety levels among adolescents and young adults in Sweden.
- Closing excerpt
- Future research should evaluate whether the abbreviated, candidate scale comprising items 1-3 could be useful to assess anxiety in this population, including examination of criterion validity and the potential benefits of adding a response category to enhance both reliability and scale-to-sample targeting.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (337 words)
BackgroundThe Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) could provide currently lacking data on anxiety levels among adolescents and young adults in Sweden. However, psychometric assessments of the scale are scarce in this population. Additionally, the structural validity of the scale needs to be examined further, given conflicting findings in other populations. The aim of this study was to psychometrically evaluate the GAD-7 among 15-29-year-olds using Rasch analysis and confirmatory factor analysis in a Swedish, general population sample. In addition, an iterative process explored if revised versions of the scale could be identified that fit the Rasch model in this sample.MethodsA random, age- and sex-stratified sample of 15-29-year-olds from the Swedish population register was drawn, from which stratified groups were randomly invited to participate. Data (n = 590) were collected through a study-specific app. Rasch analyses included investigation of item fit, local independence, principal components analysis of standardized Rasch model residuals, response category functioning, measurement invariance, scale-to-sample targeting, and reliability. In addition, confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted and interpreted using dynamic, data-adaptive cutoffs. An exploratory, iterative process was undertaken aiming at scale refinement based on results for the GAD-7.ResultsNo Rasch analyses provided support for the unidimensionality of the GAD-7, which also displayed issues with disordered response categories and measurement invariance. The CFA found substantial misfit for the one-factor model. The exploratory scale refinement resulted in two abbreviated scales warranting further investigation: Items 1-3 fit the Rasch model as a unidimensional scale and demonstrated acceptable to good reliability. Items 5-7 had good fit after merging the two highest response categories, although demonstrated poor reliability.ConclusionsNo analyses provided support for the unidimensionality of the GAD-7 among 15-29-year-olds in Sweden. While these findings do not support the use of a single sum score, they require confirmation in independent samples. Future research should evaluate whether the abbreviated, candidate scale comprising items 1-3 could be useful to assess anxiety in this population, including examination of criterion validity and the potential benefits of adding a response category to enhance both reliability and scale-to-sample targeting.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42498940 · DOI · PMC13397768
Differential Prefrontal Hypoactivity in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The Influence of Nonemotional and Emotional Stimuli in a Go/No-Go Task [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Background and objectivesGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is marked by emotional dysregulation and impaired inhibitory control, often linked to atypical prefrontal cortex (PFC) function.
- Closing excerpt
- These preliminary findings suggest prefrontal inflexibility as a core neural feature of GAD and underscore the role of left dorsolateral and DMPFC in emotion-cognition integration.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (283 words)
Background and objectivesGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is marked by emotional dysregulation and impaired inhibitory control, often linked to atypical prefrontal cortex (PFC) function. However, how emotional context influences PFC engagement during inhibition remains unclear. This study aimed to examine how emotional versus nonemotional contexts modulate PFC activity in GAD compared to healthy controls (HCs).MethodsFunctional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) assessed bilateral PFC activity in 23 individuals with GAD and 42 HC during emotional and nonemotional Go/No-Go tasks. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVAs (group × condition) were conducted per channel with false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Effect sizes are reported as partial eta squared.ResultsA significant group × condition interaction was found for No-Go accuracy (p = 0.032, η p 2 = 0.074), with GAD showing a larger decline from nonemotional to emotional conditions (87.70% vs. 47.17%) than HC (79.49% vs. 48.54%). For PFC activity, group × condition interactions reached uncorrected significance in the left dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) and right dorsomedial PFC (DMPFC) (p = 0.013-0.047, η p 2 = 0.061-0.094), and the group main effect was uncorrected significant across bilateral dorsomedial and dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC, p = 0.005-0.039, η p 2 = 0.066-0.130); neither survived FDR correction. Significant condition main effect in the right dorsomedial and right ventromedial PFC (VMPFC, η p 2 = 0.120-0.159) were revealed after FDR correction.ConclusionBoth groups showed PFC deactivation under emotional load, most prominently in the right medial PFC. HC exhibited context-dependent modulation of the left dorsolateral and right DMPFC, whereas GAD showed a flat, unmodulated response and broadly lower PFC activation, alongside selective impairment of response inhibition. These preliminary findings suggest prefrontal inflexibility as a core neural feature of GAD and underscore the role of left dorsolateral and DMPFC in emotion-cognition integration.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42534154 · DOI · PMC13419688
Association between Dietary Behavior and Mental Health in Adolescents from Multicultural and Non-Multicultural Families in Korea [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Background/Objectives: The growing population of multicultural adolescents (MCAs) has become a vital focus for national health policy.
- Closing excerpt
- Given the vulnerabilities faced by MCA, it is essential to implement multifaceted policy support and targeted dietary interventions to improve outcomes for this population.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (215 words)
Background/Objectives: The growing population of multicultural adolescents (MCAs) has become a vital focus for national health policy. Despite their increasing numbers, MCAs often encounter unique socioeconomic challenges and dietary issues that may heighten mental health vulnerabilities. This study aimed to assess the dietary behaviors of MCA and non-MCA and to explore the association between these behaviors and mental health outcomes, specifically generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and severity of suicidal behavior. Methods: Using data from the 2024 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, we analyzed the dietary behaviors of 44,796 adolescents, focusing on five key areas: breakfast consumption, fruit intake, caffeine drinks, sweetened beverages, and fast food. We also calculated a composite dietary behavior score and assessed mental health using the GAD-7 and a three-component suicidal behavior scale (including ideation, planning, and attempts). Results: MCAs experienced significant disparities in socioeconomic status and had a notably higher prevalence of suicide attempts compared to non-MCAs (p = 0.0107). In both groups, poorer dietary behaviors were linked to an increased likelihood of GAD and greater severity of suicidal behavior (ptrend pinteraction = 0.0358). Conclusions: Dietary behavior is significantly associated with mental health issues among Korean adolescents. Given the vulnerabilities faced by MCA, it is essential to implement multifaceted policy support and targeted dietary interventions to improve outcomes for this population.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42280330 · DOI · PMC13258775
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article State of the Science: Intolerance of Uncertainty [4]
- Research article Integrative Systematic Review on Pharmacological, Psychotherapeutic, and Neurostimulatory Treatment Options in Treatment-Resistant Anxiety Disorders [5]
- Research article Genome-wide meta-analysis of quantitatively measured generalized anxiety symptoms in individuals of European ancestry [6]
- Research article Comparative efficacy and acceptability of anxiolytic drugs for the treatment of anxiety disorders: a systematic review and network meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Efficacy of prescription-eligible digital health applications for depression and generalized anxiety disorder in Germany: a systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Narrative Review [9]
References
- Ahlqvist Lindqvist E, Johansson M, Hovén E, Frick A, Ljungvall H, Åsenlöf P. Psychometric assessment and exploratory scale refinement of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale among adolescents and young adults in a Swedish context. . 2026. PMID 42498940 · DOI · PMC13397768
- Chen CA, Huang YJ, Meng HT, Hsu PY, Keng YH, Lee CY, et al.. Differential Prefrontal Hypoactivity in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The Influence of Nonemotional and Emotional Stimuli in a Go/No-Go Task. . 2026. PMID 42534154 · DOI · PMC13419688
- Choi JH, Heo YR. Association between Dietary Behavior and Mental Health in Adolescents from Multicultural and Non-Multicultural Families in Korea. . 2026. PMID 42280330 · DOI · PMC13258775
- Dugas MJ, Koerner N, Freeston MH. State of the Science: Intolerance of Uncertainty. Behav Ther. 2026. PMID 41620241 · DOI
- Schiele MA, Fagan HA, Baldwin DS, Domschke K. Integrative Systematic Review on Pharmacological, Psychotherapeutic, and Neurostimulatory Treatment Options in Treatment-Resistant Anxiety Disorders. Psychother Psychosom. 2026. PMID 40946318 · DOI
- Skelton M, Mitchell BL, Assary E, Li D, Morneau-Vaillancourt G, Murphy AE, et al.. Genome-wide meta-analysis of quantitatively measured generalized anxiety symptoms in individuals of European ancestry. Nat Hum Behav. 2026. PMID 42265330 · DOI · PMC13485698
- Müller TJ, Künzi A, Heitlinger E, Krämer B, von Känel R, Hättenschwiler J, et al.. Comparative efficacy and acceptability of anxiolytic drugs for the treatment of anxiety disorders: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2026. PMID 40788541 · DOI · PMC13234035
- Schmitz A, Frey S, Karimzadeh A, Neves AL, Mayr A, Weltermann B. Efficacy of prescription-eligible digital health applications for depression and generalized anxiety disorder in Germany: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2026. PMID 42728340 · DOI · PMC13569838
- Capel LK, Knudsen FM, Thomas G, Levin ME, Twohig MP. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Narrative Review. Behav Modif. 2026. PMID 42112706 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.