Accuracy of recall for mania symptoms using a three month timeline follow-back interview.
OBJECTIVE
Little research has examined the accuracy of recall for mood symptoms using retrospective timelines or life charts. We examined accuracy of recall for mania symptoms over a period of 3 months.


METHODS
Data were collected from a sample of 392 patients enrolled in a randomized trial of a psychoeducation and care management program for bipolar disorder. Every three months, participants completed in-person assessments including the Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Examination, a timeline follow-back interview assessing mood symptoms during each week since the previous assessment. Brief telephone assessments of mood symptom severity were performed at a randomly selected point between in-person interviews. Mania symptoms recalled at the in-person assessment were compared to those reported in the previous telephone interview.


RESULTS
The proportions of weeks with full or subthreshold mania symptoms recalled at the in-person interview were similar to those detected by telephone assessments. When compared to telephone assessments, sensitivity of recall for detecting subthreshold or greater symptoms of mania was 63% (95% CI 57% to 69%). Specificity for detecting absence of significant mania symptoms was 76% (95% CI 71% to 80%).


CONCLUSIONS
Validation of recall was based on brief telephone assessments rather than detailed in-person interviews. Our results may not apply to recall over longer time periods.


CONCLUSIONS
A timeline follow-back interview demonstrated acceptable sensitivity and specificity for detecting symptoms of mania during a specific week in the prior three months.
Simon
Gregory E
GE
Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies, Seattle, WA 98101, United States. simon.g@ghc.org
Rutter
Carolyn M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index