Short-form measures of diabetes-related emotional distress: the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID)-5 and PAID-1.
OBJECTIVE
We wanted to identify a five-item short form of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale and a single-item measure for rapid screening of diabetes-related emotional distress.


METHODS
Using an existing database of 1,153 patients with diabetes, we conducted a principal-components analysis to identify a set of five items and then conducted a reliability analysis and validity checks. From those five items, we identified the item with the strongest psychometric properties as a one-item screening tool.


RESULTS
We identified a reliable and valid short version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) comprising five of the emotional-distress questions of the full PAID items (PAID-5, with items 3, 6, 12, 16, 19). The PAID-5 has satisfactory sensitivity (94%) and specificity (89%) for recognition of diabetes-related emotional distress. We also identified a one-item screening tool, the PAID-1 (Question 12: Worrying about the future and the possibility of serious complications), which has concurrent sensitivity and specificity of about 80% for the recognition of diabetes-related emotional distress.


CONCLUSIONS
The PAID-5 and PAID-1 appear to be psychometrically robust short-form measures of diabetes-related emotional distress.
Clinical Psychology Programme, School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. brian.mcguire@nuigalway.ie
B E
BE
McGuire
T G
TG
Morrison
N
N
Hermanns
S
S
Skovlund
E
E
Eldrup
J
J
Gagliardino
A
A
Kokoszka
D
D
Matthews
M
M
Pibernik-Okanović
J
J
Rodríguez-Saldaña
M
M
de Wit
F J
FJ
Snoek
D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology*; D003927:Diet, Diabetic / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin