title: Measurement of Depression in Epilepsy.
abstract: The current study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in determining the presence of depression in epileptic patients. A psychiatric diagnostic interview was used as an external criterion for the presence of depression. The participants were 61 patients undergoing presurgical evaluation for treatment of epilepsy at the epilepsy treatment center of a research medical center. The results of the present study indicate that the accuracy of assessment of depression in epilepsy with psychological tests varies with the depression scale or subscale used. The BDI performed in general more effectively as a diagnostic instrument than the MMPI-2. The results suggest that the latter test was negatively impacted by somatic content present in some scales and subscales.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karzmark
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zeifert
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barry