title: The Zurich study--a prospective epidemiological study of depressive, neurotic and psychosomatic syndromes. I. Problem, methodology.
abstract: The purpose and methodology of a 4-year longitudinal study based on a cohort aged 20 years are presented. A two-stage procedure was chosen; in 1978, 2201 males and 2346 females, aged 19-20, were examined. This sample was representative of the respective age group in the Canton of Zurich. From high and low-scorers (SCL-90), 292 males and 299 females were randomly selected for interview and for a prospective study. Subsequent investigations were carried out by questionnaires and by a personal interview. The instruments chiefly consisted of a semi-structured interview (SPIKE), a clinical syndrome list (SL), a 90-item symptom check list (SCL-90R), a life-event-inventory, scales measuring coping behavior and dissimulation, and an extensive sociological interview dealing with sociodemographic characteristics and social adjustment. This paper gives an account of the methodological aspects of the study.
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013557:Switzerland