title: A comparison of alternative assessments of depressive symptom severity: a pilot study.
abstract: This study compared the performance of an itemized symptom self-report (Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self-Report; IDS-SR), patient global ratings, and clinician global ratings with an itemized clinician-rated symptom severity measure (Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Clinician-Rated; IDS-C) in detecting treatment effects in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 28 inpatients (30.8% psychotic) and 34 outpatients (17.9% psychotic) with MDD began treatment that followed the Texas medication algorithm. The clinicians completed the IDS-C and a Physician Global Rating Scale (PhGRS) at each assessment visit, while the patients completed the IDS-SR and a Patient Global Rating Scale (PtGRS). Change scores from the baseline to subsequent weeks were computed for all subjects, utilizing all four measures. The IDS-SR was a significant independent predictor of the response to treatment as compared to the two global ratings. The IDS-SR was as sensitive to change as the IDS-C. While the clinician-rated itemized symptom severity rating scale remains the standard to assess the symptomatic outcome of the treatment of MDD, a self-report of identical symptomatology may be a reasonable alternative for many patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9086, USA. mbiggs@mednet.swmed.edu
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Biggs
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shores-Wilson
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Carmody
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Crismon
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Toprac
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013781:Texas
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs