To present initial validity data on three web-based computerized versions of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS-COMP).
The sample for evaluating the validity of the ...clinician-administered KSADS-COMP included 511 youths 6-18 years of age who were participants in the Child Mind Institute Healthy Brain Network. The sample for evaluating the parent and youth self-administered versions of the KSADS-COMP included 158 youths 11-17 years of age recruited from three academic institutions.
Average administration time for completing the combined parent and youth clinician-administered KSADS-COMP was less time than previously reported for completing the paper-and-pencil K-SADS with only one informant (91.9 ± 50.1 minutes). Average administration times for the youth and parent self-administered KSADS-COMP were 50.9 ± 28.0 minutes and 63.2 ± 38.3 minutes, respectively, and youths and parents rated their experience using the web-based self-administered KSADS-COMP versions very positively. Diagnoses generated with all three KSADS-COMP versions demonstrated good convergent validity against established clinical rating scales and dimensional diagnostic-specific ratings derived from the KSADS-COMP. When parent and youth self-administered KSADS-COMP data were integrated, good to excellent concordance was also achieved between diagnoses derived using the self-administered and clinician-administered KSADS-COMP versions (area under the curve = 0.89-1.00).
The three versions of the KSADS-COMP demonstrate promising psychometric properties, while offering efficiency in administration and scoring. The clinician-administered KSADS-COMP shows utility not only for research, but also for implementation in clinical practice, with self-report preinterview ratings that streamline administration. The self-administered KSADS-COMP versions have numerous potential research and clinical applications, including in large-scale epidemiological studies, in schools, in emergency departments, and in telehealth to address the critical shortage of child and adolescent mental health specialists.
Computerized Screening for Comorbidity in Adolescents With Substance or Psychiatric Disorders; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01866956.
Objectives
We conducted two studies to examine the dimensions, internal consistency reliability estimates, and potential correlates of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales—21 (DASS‐21; Lovibond & ...Lovibond, 1995).
Method
Participants in Study 1 included 887 undergraduate students (363 men and 524 women, aged 18 to 35 years; mean M age = 19.46, standard deviation SD = 2.17) recruited from two public universities to assess the specificity of the individual DASS‐21 items and to evaluate estimates of internal consistency reliability. Participants in a follow‐up study (Study 2) included 410 students (168 men and 242 women, aged 18 to 47 years; M age = 19.65, SD = 2.88) recruited from the same universities to further assess factorial validity and to evaluate potential correlates of the original DASS‐21 total and scale scores.
Results
Item bifactor and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a general factor accounted for the greatest proportion of common variance in the DASS‐21 item scores (Study 1). In Study 2, the fit statistics showed good fit for the bifactor model. In addition, the DASS‐21 total scale score correlated more highly with scores on a measure of mixed depression and anxiety than with scores on the proposed specific scales of depression or anxiety. Coefficient omega estimates for the DASS‐21 scale scores were good.
Conclusions
Further investigations of the bifactor structure and psychometric properties of the DASS‐21, specifically its incremental and discriminant validity, using known clinical groups are needed.
Abstract Background Depression symptom screening scales are often used to determine a clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) in prevention research. The aim of this review is to ...systematically examine the reliability, validity and diagnostic utility of commonly used screening scales in depression prevention research among children and adolescents. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the electronic databases PsycINFO, PsycEXTRA and Medline examining the reliability, validity and diagnostic utility of four commonly used depression symptom rating scales among children and adolescents: the Children׳s Depression Inventory (CDI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS). We used univariate and bivariate random effects models to pool data and conducted metaregression to identify and explain causes of heterogeneity. Results We identified 54 studies (66 data points, 34,542 participants). Across the four scales, internal reliability was ‘good’ (pooled estimate: 0.89, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.86–0.92). Sensitivity and specificity were ‘moderate’ (sensitivity: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.76–0.84; specificity: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.74–0.83). For studies that used a diagnostic interview to determine a diagnosis of MDD, positive predictive power for identifying true cases was mostly poor. Psychometric properties did not differ on the basis of study quality, sample type (clinical vs. nonclinical) or sample age (child vs. adolescent). Limitations Some analyses may have been underpowered to identify conditions in which test performance may vary, due to low numbers of studies with adequate data. Conclusions Commonly used depression symptom rating scales are reliable measures of depressive symptoms among adolescents; however, using cutoff scores to indicate clinical levels of depression may result in many false positives.
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a widely used self-report measure of depression symptomatology. This study evaluated the reliability, validity, and measurement ...invariance of the CES-D 10 in a diverse cohort of Hispanics/Latinos from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). The sample consisted of 16,415 Hispanic/Latino adults recruited from 4 field centers (Miami, FL; San Diego, CA; Bronx, NY; Chicago, IL). Participants completed interview administered measures in English or Spanish. The CES-D 10 was examined for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and measurement invariance. The total score for the CES-D 10 displayed acceptable internal consistencies (Cronbach's alpha's = .80-.86) and test-retest reliability (r values = .41-.70) across the total sample, language group and ethnic background group. The total CES-D 10 scores correlated in a theoretically consistent manner with the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, r = .72, p < .001, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression measure, r = .80, p < .001, the Short Form-12's Mental Component Summary, r = −.65, p < .001, and Physical Component Summary score, r = −.25, p < .001. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that a 1-factor model fit the CES-D 10 data well (CFI = .986, RMSEA = .047) after correlating 1 pair of item residual variances. Multiple group analyses showed the 1-factor structure to be invariant across English and Spanish speaking responders and partially invariant across Hispanic/Latino background groups. The total score of the CES-D 10 can be recommended for use with Hispanics/Latinos in English and Spanish.
Abstract Background Depression presents a significant burden to both patients and society. One treatment that has emerged is vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), an FDA-approved physical treatment for ...depressive disorders. However, the application of this intervention has been limited by the involvement of surgery and potential side effects. The aim of this study is to explore the effectiveness of stimulating the superficial branches of the vagus nerve as a solo treatment for MDD. Methods This is a nonrandomized, controlled study. The first cohort of patients (n=91) only received transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) for 12 weeks. In the second cohort (n=69), patients first received 4 weeks of sham taVNS followed by 8 weeks of taVNS. All treatments were self-administered by the patients at home after they received training from the hospitals. The primary outcome measurement was the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale measured at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12. Data analysis included a timelag analysis comparing (1) real and sham taVNS groups at week 4; (2) the real taVNS group at week 4 vs the sham taVNS group at week 8 (fourth week of real taVNS following 4 weeks of sham); and (3) the real taVNS group at week 8 vs the sham taVNS group at week 12 (eighth week of real taVNS following sham). Results After four weeks of treatment, MDD patients in the taVNS group showed greater improvement than patients in the sham taVNS group as indicated by Hamilton score changes as well as response and remission rates at week four. In addition, we also found that the clinical improvements continued until week 12 during taVNS. Limitations Patients were not randomized in this study. Conclusions Our results suggest that taVNS is a promising, safe, and cost-effective therapeutic method for mild and moderate MDD.
Objective: To compare mood in a group of physically active adults (PA) trained remotely during a COVID-19 quarantine period and a group of physically inactive adults (IF). Methods: The Mood Rating ...Scale (EVEA) was applied to both groups, PA (n = 15), age 23±3.7 years of a cheerleading club and to a group IF (n = 15) age 27±2.4 years, on two occasions with a separation time of one month. Data were collected, in both periods, on mood, specifically anxiety, sadness, joy and anger. Mood was compared between groups in two periods and mood by group in each period. If the p-value (sig) is less than 0.05, the presence of statistically significant differences between measurements and groups is established. To calculate the effect size (TE) of the difference, Cohen's d-test was applied. Results: Both measures showed that PA presented less anxiety compared to IF (p = 0.00; ES 1.37; p = 0.00; ES 2.07), sadness (p = 0.06; ES 0.57; p = 0.00; ES 1.99) and anger (p = 0.00; ES 0.77; p = 0.00; ES 3.43), and greater joy (p = 0.01, ES 0.98; p = 0.00; ES 3,60) respectively. In addition, PA in the 2nd measurement decreased sadness (p = 0.25, ES 0.45) and anger (p = 0.05, ES 0.57) and increased joy (p = 0.05; ES 0.75), while IF increased anger (p = 0.00; ES 2.11) and decreased joy (p = 0.12, ES 1.07). Conclusion: PA presented better mood than IF in both measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and decreased negative mood and increased positive mood, accounting for the positive effects of physical exercise on mood.
This article describes the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) and situates the instrument in contemporary psychopathology and personality literature. The ...historical evolution of the MMPI instruments is highlighted, including how failure to update the test for several decades resulted in increasing disinterest by basic researchers and how the restructuring efforts beginning in the 2000s promised to realign the instrument with basic research. In this regard, the construct validity associated with MMPI-2-RF scores in the context of contemporary dimensional models of psychopathology is considered. Research supporting the applied utility of the MMPI-2-RF scales in a variety of contexts-including mental health screenings, presurgical evaluations, forensic assessment, and public safety screening-is also reviewed. Critiques of the MMPI-2-RF are described and addressed. Finally, a series of recommendations for future updates of the MMPI-2-RF are described along with a path toward the MMPI-3.
Catatonia is widely under-detected, and the many differences across catatonia rating scales and diagnostic criteria could be a key reason why clinicians have a hard time knowing what catatonia looks ...like and what constitutes each of its features.
This review begins by discussing the nature of catatonia diagnosis, its evolution in ICD and DSM, and different approaches to scoring. The central analysis then provides a descriptive survey of catatonia's individual signs across scales and diagnostic criteria. The goal of this survey is to characterize distinctions across scales and diagnostic criteria that can introduce variance into catatonia caseness.
Diagnostic criteria for catatonia in DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 are broadly aligned in terms of which items are included, item definitions and number of items required for diagnosis; however, the lack of item thresholds is a fundamental limitation. Many distinctions across scales and criteria could contribute to diagnostic discordance.
Clear, consistent definitions for catatonia features are essential for reliable detection. Of available scales, Bush-Francis and Northoff can be converted to diagnostic criteria with limited modification. Bush-Francis is the most efficient, with a screening instrument, videographic resources and standardized clinical assessment. Northoff offers the most detailed assessment and uniquely emphasizes emotional and volitional disturbances in catatonia.
The field's understanding of the catatonia phenotype has advanced considerably over the past few decades. However, this review reveals many important limitations in the ICD and DSM as well as differences across scales and criteria that stand in the way of reliable catatonia detection.
This study investigated the childhood autism rating scale (CARS) as a tool for ASD diagnoses for 2-year-old (
n
= 376) and 4-year-old (
n
= 230) children referred for possible autism. The cut-off ...score to distinguish autistic disorder from PDD-NOS was 32 in the 2-year-old sample (consistent with Lord in J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discipl, 36, 1365–1382,
1995
), and 30 in the 4-year-old sample, with good sensitivity and specificity at both ages. The cut-off score to distinguish ASD from non-ASD at both ages was 25.5, with good sensitivity and specificity. Results confirm the utility of the CARS in distinguishing autistic disorder from PDD-NOS, and distinguishing ASD from other developmental disorders and typical development and suggest that an ASD cutoff around 25, which is in common clinical use, is valid.
Interest in measuring patient-reported outcomes has increased dramatically in recent decades. This has simultaneously produced numerous assessment options and confusion. In the case of depressive ...symptoms, there are many commonly used options for measuring the same or a very similar concept. Public and professional reporting of scores can be confused by multiple scale ranges, normative levels, and clinical thresholds. A common reporting metric would have great value and can be achieved when similar instruments are administered to a single sample and then linked to each other to produce cross-walk score tables (e.g., Dorans, 2007; Kolen & Brennan, 2004). Using multiple procedures based on item response theory and equipercentile methods, we produced cross-walk tables linking 3 popular "legacy" depression instruments-the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977; N = 747), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996; N = 748), and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (Kroenke, Spitzer, & Williams, 2001; N = 1,120)-to the depression metric of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS; Cella et al., 2010). The PROMIS Depression metric is centered on the U.S. general population, matching the marginal distributions of gender, age, race, and education in the 2000 U.S. census (Liu et al., 2010). The linking relationships were evaluated by resampling small subsets and estimating confidence intervals for the differences between the observed and linked PROMIS scores; in addition, PROMIS cutoff scores for depression severity were estimated to correspond with those commonly used with the legacy measures. Our results allow clinicians and researchers to retrofit existing data of 3 popular depression measures to the PROMIS Depression metric and vice versa.