title: Complications associated with surveying medical student depression: the importance of anonymity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate students' attitudes and concerns regarding potential repercussions of completing the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey based on focus group data was developed and distributed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and ninety-one of 400 surveys (48%) were returned. Of 160 students who remembered completing the BDI, 31 (19%) admitted to concerns about the research, and nearly 10% admitted to recording dishonest answers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings emphasize the importance of conducting anonymous assessments of medical students, particularly when assessing sensitive psychological states.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rebecca Sealy Room 6.220, Galveston, TX 77555-0193, USA. rlevine@utmb.edu
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Carmen Radecki
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Breitkopf
authors.forename: Frederick S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Sierles
authors.forename: Gwendie
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Camp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003219:Confidentiality; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure