A direct comparison of effect sizes from the clinical global impression-improvement scale to effect sizes from other rating scales in controlled trials of adult social anxiety disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The clinical global impression-improvement scale (CGI-I) is used to monitor treatment outcome in mental disorders. To better understand the properties of the CGI-I scale in social anxiety disorder, effects sizes from the CGI-I scale were compared to comparably calculated effect sizes from other rating scales obtained from double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors in social anxiety disorder. From peer-reviewed, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies evaluating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in social anxiety disorder, we extracted CGI-I data and scores from other assessment scales of severity and function. Using calculations that enabled direct comparisons, effect sizes for the binarily reported CGI-I scores were compared to effect sizes from the quantitative scales.


RESULTS
Effect sizes for the binary CGI-I scale were statistically indistinguishable from effect sizes obtained from the other scales, with the exception of the social avoidance and distress scale.


CONCLUSIONS
The CGI-I scale is an appropriate method of assessing clinical change in trials of social anxiety disorder.
Hedges
Dawson W
DW
Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. dawson_hedges@byu.edu
Brown
Bruce L
BL
Shwalb
David A
DA
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors