Self-report Screening Instrument Research Articles

Development of a self-report screening instrument for emotional dysregulation: the Reactivity, Intensity, Polarity and Stability questionnaire, screening version (RIPoSt-SV)

BackgroundEmotional dysregulation (ED) refers to the inability to manage emotional experiences or expressions hindering goal-oriented behavior. Moderate impairment on at least two domains among temper control, affective lability, and emotional over-reactivity has been proposed to identify ED in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). No screening measure designed for use in diverse psychiatric samples exists. We aimed to develop a self-report screening tool for ED based on the 40-item version of the Reactivity, Intensity, Polarity, and Stability questionnaire (RIPoSt-40). Methods150 adult outpatients with non-psychotic conditions were enrolled between February and July 2023 at the Second Psychiatry Unit of Pisa University Hospital. Clinically significant ED (CSED) was defined based on the previously suggested approach for ADHD. Differences between patients with and without CSED were tested. To develop our screening instrument, a decision tree algorithm was trained by hyperparameter tuning through 5-fold cross-validation in 120 subjects and tested on the remaining 30. Results75 subjects met criteria for CSED (50 %). CSED was associated with lower age and higher prevalence of psychiatric conditions, including minor mood disorders, ADHD, cannabis use disorders, and eating disorders. We identified a decision tree consisting of six items from RIPoSt-40 that effectively detected CSED, with accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 80 % or higher in both the training and testing sets. LimitationsTertiary-level; no consensus on criteria; sample size. ConclusionThe screening version of the Reactivity, Intensity, Polarity, and Stability questionnaire (RIPoSt-SV) demonstrates promise as a valuable tool for ED screening in clinical settings.

Validation and Psychometric Properties of the German Version of the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire

Introduction/Background: In 2016, the Adolescent Motor Competence Questionnaire (AMCQ) was developed in Australia. The AMCQ was developed to assess perceived motor competence in adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years. The 26 items represent four factors: participation in physical activity and sports, activities of daily living, public performance, and peer comparison. Aims/Objectives: Currently, no validated German-language self-report screening instrument exists for assessing perceived motor competence among adolescents. This study aimed to validate the German version of the AMCQ (AMCQ-GER). Methods/Approach: The German translation’s factor structure and psychometric properties were analyzed based on a community sample of 635 healthy children and adolescents between 10 and 18 years of age (12.9 ± 2.31 years, 321 boys and 312 girls) and 100 healthy young adults between 19 and 30 years of age (23.0 ± 2.92 years, 49 men and 51 women). The previously validated cutoff score of ≤83 out of 104 was used to group the sample into high and low motor competence. Results: The mean AMCQ-GER score was 84.9 (SD = 8.59), and 38.8% of the participants identified with low motor competence. The principle component analysis revealed clear evidence for a three-factorial structure comprising physical activity and sports, general clumsiness, and activities of daily living (with an explained variance of 29.2%). Reliability for all scales was excellent, with a McDonald’s ϖ of at least .70. The overall conclusion of the Rasch analysis supported the confirmatory factor analysis, although with an overall smaller number of items (18 instead of 26). The AMCQ-GER was positively correlated with age (.26**) and participation in organized club sports (.19**). It was negatively correlated with body mass index (−.23**) and school grade in physical activity (−.40**). Conclusions/Relevance: Our rigorous validation protocol has generated a remarkable reproduction of the AMCQ in German. These results suggest that the language and structure of the questionnaire is appropriate for German-speaking countries.

Prevalence of Postpartum Depression Based on Diagnostic Interviews: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Postpartum depression (PPD) is common after childbirth. Previous reviews on the prevalence of PPD have mainly included results that relied on screening instruments or a mixture of such instruments and diagnostic interviews. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of PPD based exclusively on studies using diagnostic interviews, as they provide the most reliable and valid approach for defining “caseness.” Methods. Using PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, WANFANG DATA, and CBM up to September 18, 2022, we searched for original articles reporting data that could be used to calculate the prevalence of PPD based on diagnostic interviews. A random-effect meta-analysis model was then used to estimate the pooled prevalence. In addition, we assessed quality, heterogeneity, and publication bias across studies. Also, we did subgroup analyses to explore the pooled prevalence at different time points and settings. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021244539. Results. Of 17,115 articles retrieved, 54 studies were included (total sample size = 15,586 women). The pooled prevalence of all depression and major depression within one year postpartum was 12.1% (95% CI 10.3%-14.1%; I 2 = 91.0 % ) and 7.0% (95% CI 5.7%-8.4%; I 2 = 83.0 % ), respectively. The peaks of all depression occurred during the first 6 months postpartum, especially 2-3 weeks and 6-8 weeks. Subgroup analyses showed that the prevalence of major depression was associated with the income level of countries (higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) than in high-income countries (HICs)) and diagnostic criteria (higher using ICD than using DSM and RDC). No evidence of publication bias was found. Conclusions. Approximately one in eight postpartum women experiences a depressive condition, with one in fifteen suffering major depression. The pooled prevalence based on diagnostic interviews was lower than the existing consensus, which was largely based on self-reported screening instruments. The higher prevalence in LMICs underlines the importance of strengthening research and service provision among these populations.

The Suicidal Intrusions Attributes Scale (SINAS): a new tool measuring suicidal intrusions.

Suicidal intrusions are uncontrollable, intrusive mental images (e. g., visualizing a future suicidal act). They may also be called suicidal "flash-forwards." Despite the importance of integrating the assessment of suicidal intrusions into a clinical routine assessment, quick self-report screening instruments are lacking. This study describes the development of a new instrument-Suicidal Intrusions Attributes Scale (SINAS)-to assess the severity and characteristics of suicidal intrusions and examines its psychometric properties. The sample included currently suicidal outpatients with elevated levels of depression recruited across mental health institutions in the Netherlands (N = 168). Instruments administered were 10-item SINAS, the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS), the Prospective Imagery Task (PIT), four-item Suicidal Cognitions Interview (SCI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). An exploratory factor analysis identified a one-factor structure. The resulting SINAS demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and convergent validity, as expected. Overall, this study demonstrated acceptable levels of reliability and validity of the measure in a depressed clinical population with suicidal ideation. The SINAS may be a useful screening tool for suicidal intrusions in both research and clinical settings.

Saving time, signaling trust: Using the PROMOTE self-report screening instrument to enhance prenatal care quality and therapeutic relationships.

Comprehensive screening of psychosocial vulnerabilities and substance use in prenatal care is critical to promote the health and well-being of pregnant patients. Effective implementation of new screening procedures and instruments should be accompanied by an in-depth investigation to assess their feasibility and impact on care delivery. In 2020, following implementation of the Profile for Maternal and Obstetric Treatment Effectiveness (PROMOTE) an innovative self-report screening instrument developed for outpatient prenatal clinics in the U.S., we conducted individual interviews and focus groups with twenty-two midwives, nurse practitioners, and obstetric residents focused on the PROMOTE and its impacts on care delivery. We used interpretive description for the qualitative analysis of the interviews. Five themes were identified: Guiding Time Efficiently: "The Time I Don't Have," Preventing Missed Care, Signaling Trustworthiness, Establishing Trauma-Informed Foundations, and Promoting "Honest" Patient Disclosure. Interviews suggest that patient completion of the PROMOTE before the medical encounter helps reduce previously reported barriers, is more time-effective, and makes history-taking easier. It also facilitates the patient-provider relationship. Findings offer insight into the breadth and depth of clinical impact resulting from the PROMOTE, and provide guidance for the implementation of such tools to optimize health outcomes.

Depression, anxiety, and psychological distress among caregivers of young children in rural Lesotho: Associations with food insecurity, household death and parenting stress

Good mental health is a critical resource for mothers and caregivers of young children, given the central role of mental health in enabling responsive caregiving. However, fulfilling caregiving responsibilities under challenging circumstances such as extreme poverty, food insecurity, and gender inequality intensifies vulnerability to poor mental health. Previous research focuses on mental health of mothers, while in many LMICs children are cared for by other caregivers, such as grandparents. We examined the prevalence of mental health problems among primary caregivers of young children in rural Lesotho, and investigated factors associated with these mental health problems.We analysed baseline data from a cluster randomised controlled trial, where all caregivers with children between 1 and 5 years old across 34 villages were invited to participate. The analysis included mental health data from 781 caregivers of 998 children. We assessed caregiver mental health using three self-report screening instruments. Univariate and multivariate regression modelling tested associations between caregiver, child and household variables and (1) depression symptoms (PHQ-9), (2) anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), (3) psychological distress (SRQ-20), (4) suicidal ideation and (5) help-seeking for mental health.This study reported a high prevalence of symptoms of psychological distress (46.2%), depression (25.7%), anxiety (17.1%) and suicidal ideation (27.5%) among caregivers. Greater prevalence was associated with food insecurity, parenting stress or recent death in the family/household. Older caregivers reported higher rates of psychological distress and depression, while younger caregivers reported higher rates of anxiety. Suicidal ideation was associated with greater food insecurity and parenting stress, and lower caregiver education.Our findings support the need to address intersecting public health issues to improve conditions for caregivers in these settings. Targeting modifiable risk factors such as food insecurity among individuals within a society who carry disproportionate burdens of caregiving should be prioritised, especially in contexts of scarcity, where mental health is not prioritised.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of self-report screening instruments for common mental disorders in Arabic-speaking adults

IntroductionSelf-report questionnaires to screen for symptoms of common mental disorders (CMDs) are commonly used as inexpensive, easy-to-administer tools in research and clinical practice. However, their validity to detect the presence of any CMD across cultures and languages is unclear. Psychometrically sound and brief case-finding instruments are vital for the identification of individuals with mental health needs. With the increasing number of Arabic-speaking refugees in Europe, we aim to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Arabic-language screening instruments.ObjectivesThe aim of this systematic review/meta-analysis is to synthesize the diagnostic accuracy of self-report questionnaires to detect depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Arabic-speaking populations.Methods Five databases were searched (inception-January 2021) (PROSPERO: CRD42018070645) for studies on the diagnostic accuracy of brief questionnaires in Arabic-speaking populations, with a clinical interview as reference standard. Data on sensitivity/specificity were extracted/calculated. Multi-threshold meta-analyses were performed (R diagmeta package). Study quality was assessed using QUADAS-2.Results We included 32 studies (N=4042 participants) reporting on questionnaires targeting depression/anxiety (14 questionnaires), distress (2 questionnaires), and PTSD (1 questionnaire). Optimal thresholds were identified for the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; cut-off 11, sensitivity 76.9%, specificity 85.1%), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety subscale (cut-off 7, sensitivity 81.9%, specificity 87.6%), depression subscale (cut-off 6, sensitivity 73.0%, specificity 88.6%), and Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20; cut-off 8, sensitivity 86.0%, specificity 83.9%).ConclusionsWe present optimal thresholds that can be used by clinicians and researchers for the EPDS, HADS and SRQ-20. More research on Arabic-language questionnaires, especially those targeting PTSD, is needed.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Free Papers Compiled

Background:During the last few decades, Internet use has not only grown but has also transformed from a tool to collect and share information to a way of connecting with others and the world around us. Individuals aged 18–24 years old account for 18% of global Internet users and those aged from 25 to 34 account for 32% of global Internet users. The general rise in Internet usage also poses a risk of online activities becoming excessive such as gaming/gambling, streaming, watching pornography, and shopping .The excessive and compulsive use of online activities and services which have addictive potential associated with marked functional impairment. A study examining the correlation between PIU, mental health, and sleep quality among Western medical students found that PIU was directly and positively connected to depression anxiety and stress.Aim:The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of compulsive internet use and associated psychological distress among medical students.Methods:A total of 100 medical students of Government medical college participated in an online survey. Participants completed the CIUS(compulsive internet use scale) and Kessler Psychological Distress scale.Results:Students with higher CIUS scores reported significantly lower academic achievements as well as showed significant higher score in Kessler distress scale, Study also showed PIU increases likelihood of anxiousness and depressive symptoms.Conclusion:CIUS as reliable and valid self-report screening instruments for evaluating the severity of PIU symptoms among the medical student population and showed associated significant increase of psychological distress among the students who spend more time on internet.

Applying the DSM-5 Criteria for Gambling Disorder to Online Gambling Account-Based Tracking Data: An Empirical Study Utilizing Cluster Analysis

The emergence of online gambling has raised concerns about potential gambling-related harm, and various measures have been implemented in order to minimise harm such as identifying and/or predicting potential markers of harm. The present study explored how the nine DSM-5 criteria for gambling disorder can be operationalised in terms of actual online gambling behaviour using account-based gambling tracking data. The authors were given access to an anonymised sample of 982 gamblers registered with an online gambling operator. The data collected for these gamblers consisted of their first three months’ gambling activity. The data points included customer service contacts, number of hours spent gambling, number of active days, deposit amounts and frequency, the number of times a responsible gambling tool (such as deposit limit) were removed by the gamblers themselves, number of cancelled withdrawals, number of third-party requests, number of registered credit cards, and frequency of requesting bonuses through customer service (i.e., the number of instances of ‘bonus begging’). Using these metrics, most of the DSM-5 criteria for gambling disorder can be operationalized (at least to some extent) using actual transaction data. These metrics were then applied to a sample of online gamblers, and through cluster analysis four types of online gambler based on these metrics (non-problem gamblers, at-risk gamblers, financially vulnerable gamblers, and emotionally vulnerable gamblers) were identified. The present study is the first to examine the application of the DSM-5 criteria of gambling disorder to actual gambling behaviour using online gambling transaction data and suggests ways that gambling operators could identify problem gamblers online without the need for self-report diagnostic screening instruments.

W57. MENTAL HEALTH DATA COLLECTION IN THE ESTONIAN BIOBANK: INSTRUMENTS, METHODOLOGY AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Background: Background: Common psychiatric disorders are clinically heterogeneous and often display many overlapping symptoms as well as comorbidity across psychiatric disorders, hence complicating the genetic investigation of these disorders. To facilitate new discoveries and gain better understanding of the genetics of psychiatric problems, large well-phenotyped biobank samples are greatly needed. The Estonian Biobank (EstBB;N=200,000) is a data-rich national biobank that joins genomic, biomarker, electronic health record (EHR), national registry and questionnaire data to significantly advance the current knowledge of the genetic underpinnings of complex and rare diseases. We aimed to expand the EstBB database with rich phenotypic questionnaire-based information on a broad set of symptoms of common psychiatric disorders and related phenotypes. Methods: Methods: We compiled an online questionnaire “Wellbeing and mental health” which included self-report brief screening instruments to capture a broad range of symptoms on current and/or lifetime depression, anxiety disorders, mania, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, psychotic experiences, suicidal thoughts and behavior, cognition, substance (ab)use, problematic gambling and related risk- and protective factors, such as childhood adversity, stressful life events, social support, lifestyle, sociodemographic factors and life satisfaction. In addition, the participants were asked about the side effects, discontinuation and switching of medications prescribed for a mental health problem in their lifetime. Since the start of the data collection coincided with the peak of the second COVID-19 wave in Estonia, we included items related to current perceived stress, burnout and change in mental health during the pandemic. When selecting instruments, preference was given based on 1) reliability and validity of the instruments;2) whether an Estonian adaptation and/or validation has been conducted;3) application in other large biobanks (e.g. the UK Biobank) for future harmonization or replication;4) short length. Results: Results: The invitations to participate in the online mental health study were e-mailed out to all living EstBB participants with available e-mail addresses (N=184,622), followed by two e-mail reminders. The active data collection phase spanned over three months from March to May 2021. The preliminary response rate was 46.7% (N = 86,222) out of all who were contacted. We will present preliminary results on the comparison of respondents and non-respondents based on demographic data, psychiatric diagnoses in EHR and psychiatric polygenic risk scores. Discussion: Discussion: We have significantly expanded the EstBB resource with phenotypic information on a broad range of psychiatric symptoms and related phenotypes to facilitate future research in psychiatric genetics. Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Compulsive Internet Use Scale: Psychometric Properties and Associations With Sleeping Patterns, Mental Health, and Well-Being in Lithuanian Medical Students During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

Background: The increase in problematic Internet use (PIU) among medical students and resident doctors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may be leading to significant impairments in everyday functioning, including sleeping patterns, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and overall well-being. The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) has been developed to assess the severity of PIU, however, it has not been elucidated whether this scale is also applicable to medical students and resident doctors. The first aim of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of the CIUS. The second aim was to examine associations between subjectively reported mental health symptoms and PIU during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A total of 524 medical students and resident doctors (78.60% women, mean age 24 [SD 3] years old) participated in an online survey between December 2020 and February 2021. Participants completed the CIUS, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7 (GAD-7), and the WHO—Five Well-Being Index questionnaire (WHO-5).Results: The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested brief versions (CIUS-5, CIUS-7, and CIUS-9) rather than the original (CIUS-14) version of the CIUS questionnaire as reliable and structurally stable instruments that can be used to measure compulsive Internet use severity in the sample of medical students and resident doctors. The most prevalent online behaviors were social media use (90.1%), online shopping (15.6%), and online gaming/gambling (11.3%). Students with higher CIUS scores reported significantly lower academic achievements during the 6 months (r = 0.12–0.13; p < 0.006), as well as more severe depressive and anxiety symptoms, worsened sleep quality, and lower sense of well-being (r = 0.21–0.41; p's < 0.001). Both, during workdays (d = 0.87) and weekend (d = 0.33), students spent more time online than resident doctors (p's < 0.001).Conclusion: The brief, 5-, 7-, and 9-item versions of the Lithuanian CIUS are reliable and valid self-report screening instruments for evaluating the severity of PIU symptoms among the medical student population. Symptoms of PIU during the COVID-19 period were associated with worsened self-reported mental health and everyday functioning.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Disordered Gambling Disorder, and Use of DSM-5 Based Sports Betting Questionnaire, in a Southwest Nigerian Community.

Background:Gambling disorder is rarely diagnosed in Nigeria. The prevalence and factors associated with gambling disorder in many parts of Nigeria are not known. Our study aimed to evaluate psychometric properties of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 for use as a self-report screening instrument for large-scale studies in Nigeria.Methods:Cross-sectional surveys were done involving two independent sampled populations from a hospital setting and the surrounding community. Instruments administered included a semistructured sociodemographic questionnaire, South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 11 criteria, and a screening questionnaire based on Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5), which was designed as a self-report measure (Sports betting).Results:The prevalence rate for gambling disorder was 30.5%. The diagnostic accuracy of DSM-5 and ICD-11, and SOGS were comparably similar. Factors associated with gambling disorder (sports betting) were low educational level and poor employment status.Conclusion:The DSM-5-based screening questionnaire showed good psychometric properties, with sensitivity and specificity comparable to that of ICD-11 criteria and SOGS. The study also found a high prevalence of gambling disorder. There is a need to address educational and employment opportunities.

The stress bias in mental health reporting: Death anxiety biases mental health self-assessments amongst deployed soldiers.

This study examined whether posing questions that create a stress state in respondents biases subsequent reporting of mental health (MH) symptomology. For instance, questions related to trauma exposure may activate thoughts about death (facing it, surviving it, being afraid of it), and these death anxieties can influence assessments of one's health and thus bias self-reports of MH measured in the same questionnaire context. A controlled randomized experiment was conducted as part of a longitudinal study of U.S. Army soldiers who deployed to Afghanistan between April 2013 and January 2014. Anonymous surveys administered middeployment (n = 464) included self-report MH screening instruments for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. Combat exposures (CEs) were primed by randomly presenting the CE questions before or after MH instruments. The order of the measures significantly influenced reports of MH symptoms, and this stress bias is explained by differences in death anxiety. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that the well-documented relationship between the intensity of CEs and each MH screener severity score was significant when the CEs were primed but not vice versa (index of moderated mediation: for PTSD, 95% CI [.0000, .0216]; for depression, 95% CI [.0000, .0216]; and for generalized anxiety disorder, 95% CI [.0005, .0170]), and that death anxiety mediated these relationships. Health care providers and psychological researchers who use standardized, nonrandomized, clinical screening instruments should be aware of this stress bias: Asking respondents to report a potentially traumatic exposure can bias the self-reporting of MH symptomatology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Feasibility and Effectiveness of a New Short-Term Psychotherapy Concept for Adolescents With Emotional Dysregulation.

Background: The ‘Stress-Trauma-Symptoms-Regulation-Treatment’ (START) is an innovative manualized short-term treatment program for stabilization and stress resilience in emotionally dysregulated adolescents, based on an approach of stress and management and emotional regulation. The current pilot trial aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the START intervention program for improvement of emotion regulation.Methods: Sixty-six adolescents between the age of 13–18 years admitted to a psychiatric unit for acute emotional or behavioral dysregulation took part in the START program for 5 weeks in an open group setting with two sessions per week (70 min/session). Before treatment, we assessed a history of adverse experience with the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) and the Child Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (CPTCI). Before and after treatment, the participants completed the FEEL-KJ, a self-report screening instrument of emotional regulation and coping strategies.Results: A large proportion of this sample had experienced traumatic events based on the CATS (75%) and the CPTCI (82%). The mean FEEL-KJ score significantly decreased after the intervention (d = −0.248, p = 0.037), while no difference was observed with regard to mean level of adaptive emotion regulation strategies (d = 0.202, p = 0.207). A positive effect of the intervention was observed on three components of the adaptive FEEL-KJ scale: accepting (d = 0.289, p = 0.08), forgetting (d = 0.271, p = 0.049) and dealing with anger (d = 0.309, p = 0.034).Conclusion: START demonstrates preliminary evidence for improvement in emotional dysregulation after a 5-weeks course of treatment. Therefore, this short-term intervention can possibly be regarded as a tool to improve emotional stability in children with a high load of trauma-related psychopathology. The results are promising and warrant future studies, specifically randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of START for strengthening resilience at-risk-populations.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies of self-report screening instruments for common mental disorders in Arabic-speaking adults.

Self-report screening instruments are frequently used as scalable methods to detect common mental disorders (CMDs), but their validity across cultural and linguistic groups is unclear. We summarized the diagnostic accuracy of brief questionnaires on symptoms of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Arabic-speaking adults. Five databases were searched from inception to 22 January 2021 (PROSPERO: CRD42018070645). Studies were included when diagnostic accuracy of brief (maximally 25 items) psychological questionnaires was assessed in Arabic-speaking populations and the reference standard was a clinical interview. Data on sensitivity/specificity, area under the curve, and data to generate 2 × 2 tables at various thresholds were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using the diagmeta package in R. Quality of studies was assessed with QUADAS-2. Thirty-two studies (N participants = 4042) reporting on 17 questionnaires with 5-25 items targeting depression/anxiety (n = 14), general distress (n = 2), and PTSD (n = 1) were included. Seventeen studies (53%) scored high risk on at least two QUADAS-2 domains. The meta-analysis identified an optimal threshold of 11 (sensitivity 76.9%, specificity 85.1%) for the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (n studies = 7, n participants = 711), 7 (sensitivity 81.9%, specificity 87.6%) for the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety subscale and 6 (sensitivity 73.0%, specificity 88.6%) for the depression subscale (n studies = 4, n participants = 492), and 8 (sensitivity 86.0%, specificity 83.9%) for the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) (n studies = 4, n participants = 459). We present optimal thresholds to screen for perinatal depression with the EPDS, anxiety/depression with the HADS, and CMDs with the SRQ-20. More research on Arabic-language questionnaires, especially those targeting PTSD, is needed.

A Validation Trajectory for the Washington Assessment of Risks and Needs of Students

ABSTRACTThe State of Washington requires school districts to file court petitions on students with excessive unexcused absences. The Washington Assessment of Risks and Needs of Students (WARNS), a self-report screening instrument developed for use by high school and juvenile court personnel in such situations, purports to measure six facets of risks and needs of youth relevant to improving school and life outcomes. Many psychometric analyses have been documented either in the technical manual or through peer-reviewed publications. We review this body of evidence in the context of a central claim about score interpretation/use and the inferences that underlie that claim. Such evidence is strong for inferences related to the target domain, scoring, generalization, and extrapolation. Evidence for an implication inference, however, is pending. We propose a validation trajectory partnership for the WARNS to build evidence through a collaborative research program.

Mental health screening questionnaire: A Study on reliability and correlation with perceived stress score

Introduction: Screening of mental disorders and psychological distress is important in clinical as well as research setting. The objective of this study is to test the reliability of mental health screening questionnaire developed by authors and see its correlation with perceived stress scale scores.&#x0D; Material and Method: A self-report screening instrument was designed by the authors in consultation with experts and was tested for reliability among 162 participants from general population gathered for stress management program. The correlation of the designed scale was tested with the Perceived Stress Scale score.&#x0D; Results: Scale reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) for the designed psychological distress scale was found to be 0.7558 which is regarded as having acceptable internal consistency. The questions of the designed scale had weak to moderate positive correlation with the score on Perceived Stress Scale.&#x0D; Conclusion: Despite many shortcomings of the designed scale we may be able to use it for basic screening of psychological distress and mental health problems. We recommend the validity of scale be tested in larger sample size.

Symptom burden and work-related impairment among patients with PTSD and complex PTSD

ABSTRACT Background: The 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases includes a new chapter of stress-related disorders and presents two distinct sibling conditions: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). Studies show that PTSD and CPTSD are associated with different levels of symptom burden, comorbidity and functional impairment, but have not yet addressed the qualitative and quantitative differences in work-related impairment between the two diagnoses. Objective: The aim of this study was to replicate differences in symptom severity, global distress, and the number of comorbid diagnoses between three groups that suffer from no PTSD, PTSD, or CPTSD. More importantly, we evaluated whether the three groups differ in indicators of functional impairment such as qualitative and quantitative working capacity. Finally, this study supplies information on prevalence rates of PTSD and CPTSD in a clinical sample suffering from psychosomatic complaints. Methods: Participants were 662 patients of a Psychosomatic Rehabilitation Clinic (age M = 50.99, SD 8.99 years; 70.1% female). Self-report screening instruments were administered to participants at the beginning of their inpatient psychotherapy. Multivariate analysis of variance and Chi Square tests were utilized to assess group differences in symptom severity, comorbidity and work-related impairment. Results: A prevalence of 13.3% CPTSD and 9.5% PTSD was found among the current sample. CPTSD was associated with heightened symptom burden and more comorbid diagnoses. More importantly, CPTSD was associated with a significantly lowered qualitative and quantitative working capacity compared to PTSD and no-PTSD. Conclusions: The high prevalence, greater psychopathological burden and work-related impairments in CPTSD compared to PTSD highlight the need for developing and evaluating new interventions in rehabilitation that address the complexity of the new disorder.

Diagnostic test accuracy of self-reported screening instruments in identifying frailty in community-dwelling older people: A systematic review.

Against a backdrop of aging populations worldwide, it has become increasingly important to identify frailty screening instruments suitable for community settings. Self-reported and/or administered instruments might offer significant simplicity and efficiency advantages over clinician-administered instruments, but their comparative diagnostic test accuracy has yet to be systematically examined. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the diagnostic test accuracy of self-reported and/or self-administered frailty screening instruments against two widely accepted frailty reference standards (the frailty phenotype and the Frailty Index) within community-dwelling older adult populations. We carried out a systematic search of the Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, PEDro, PsycINFO, ProQuest Dissertations, Open Grey and GreyLit databases up to April 2017 (with an updated search carried out over May-July 2018) to identify studies reporting comparison of self-reported and/or self-administered frailty screening instruments against an appropriate reference standard, with a minimum sensitivity threshold of 80% and specificity threshold of 60%. We identified 24 studies that met our selection criteria. Four self-reported screening instruments across three studies met minimum sensitivity and specificity thresholds. However, in most cases, study design considerations limited the reliability and generalizability of the results. Additionally, meta-analysis was not carried out, because no more than three studies were available for any of the unique combinations of index tests and reference standards. Although the present study has shown that a number of self-reported frailty screening instruments reported sensitivity and specificity within a desirable range for community application, additional diagnostic test accuracy studies are required. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 14-24.

Evidence for Differential Predictive Performance of the Prime Screen Between Black and White Help-Seeking Youths.

Self-report screening instruments for emerging psychosis have the potential to improve early detection efforts by increasing the number of true positives among persons deemed to be at "clinical high risk" of the disorder, but their practical utility depends on their validity across race. This study sought to examine whether a commonly used self-report screening tool for psychosis risk performed equally among black and white youths in its ability to predict clinical high-risk status. Black (N=58) and white (N=50) help-seeking individuals ages 12-25 (61% female) were assessed with the Prime Screen and the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS). A logistic regression model estimated race differences in the strength of the relation between Prime Screen scores and SIPS-defined risk status. Higher Prime Screen scores significantly predicted clinical high-risk status among white (p<.01) but not black participants. Among black youths without clinical high risk, self-reported Prime Screen scores more closely resembled scores for youths (black or white) with clinical high risk than scores of white peers who were also without clinical high risk. Results suggest that consideration of race or ethnicity and associated cultural factors is important when screening for clinical high-risk status. Findings support the need to develop culturally valid early psychosis screening tools to promote appropriately tailored early intervention efforts.