title: Psychomotor symptoms in depressed elderly patients: assessment of the construct validity of the Dutch CORE by accelerometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychomotor symptoms are putative distinguishing features of melancholia that may guide treatment decisions. Hence, there is a need for valid instruments to assess psychomotor symptoms. The objective of this study is to examine the construct validity of the CORE, an observational instrument designed to quantify psychomotor symptoms in depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Associations between CORE scores and levels of motor activity measured by accelerometry were examined in a sample of 25 elderly depressed in-patients, for various time intervals, during 24h of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total CORE scores (as well as CORE retardation and agitation sub-scale scores) were negatively correlated with activity scores, with depression severity increasing the correlational strength substantively. For total CORE scores and retardation sub-scale scores, the highest associations were quantified across morning intervals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the nature of the study mild levels of depression were overrepresented, monitoring of motor activity lasted only 24h and non-motor activity items in the CORE were not measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Associations between CORE total scores and retardation sub-scale scores support the validity of the CORE as well as quantifying associations between severity of psychomotor disturbance and clinical depression severity. Study results also support the application of accelerometry tools in quantifying components of clinical depression.
authors.affiliation: GGZ inGeest/Department of Psychiatry, Valeriusplein 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S Doreen
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Attu
authors.forename: Didi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rhebergen
authors.forename: Hannie C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Comijs
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Max L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology