Distinguishing between anxiety and depression using the Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (MASQ)

Abstract

To examine the discriminant validity of the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (MASQ) in a sample of young help-seekers. 136 young people referred to a psychiatric service completed a diagnostic interview and the MASQ. Participants were classified according to diagnostic status: Mood Only; Anxiety Only; Mixed Anxiety-Depression; Other DSM-IV Disorder; and No Axis-I Disorder. Participants in the Mood Only and Mixed groups scored significantly higher than the remaining groups on all MASQ scales. Participants in the Anxiety Only group did not score significantly higher than participants in the Other DSM-IV or No Diagnosis groups for any scale. Our finding supported the specificity of the depression-specific scale, however the purported anxiety-specific scale did not distinguish between those with and those without Anxiety disorders. It was hypothesised that in clinical samples, the MASQ may measure general psychological distress.