The validity of questionnaire measures for assessing depression after stroke.
OBJECTIVE
Depression has been reported to occur frequently after stroke. The aim of the study was to assess the validity of questionnaire measures for screening for depression after stroke.


METHODS
Cross-sectional correlational study between questionnaire measures of mood and psychiatric interview.


METHODS
Hospital and community.


METHODS
Stroke patients were recruited from hospital wards and from a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioural therapy.


METHODS
Beck Depression Inventory, Wakefield Depression Inventory, General Health Questionnaire 28 and Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry.


RESULTS
Poor agreement was found between psychiatric diagnosis and questionnaire measures of mood. The sensitivity of the questionnaire measures was high, but specificity was low. No cut-off points with satisfactory sensitivity and specificity could be identified from ROC curves.


CONCLUSIONS
Although questionnaire assessments of depression provide a satisfactory screening method, specificity values are too low to provide a basis for the diagnosis of depression. Measures need to be developed with higher specificity to facilitate screening for depression after stroke.
Lincoln
N B
NB
School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. Nadina.Lincoln@nottingham.ac.uk
Nicholl
C R
CR
Flannaghan
T
T
Leonard
M
M
Van der Gucht
E
E
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires