title: Toward the Reliable Diagnosis of DSM-5 Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: The Carolina Premenstrual Assessment Scoring System (C-PASS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite evidence for the validity of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and the inclusion of the disorder in DSM-5, variable diagnostic practices compromise the construct validity of the diagnosis and threaten the clarity of efforts to understand and treat its underlying pathophysiology. In an effort to hasten and streamline the translation of the DSM-5 criteria for PMDD into terms compatible with existing research practices, the authors present the development and initial validation of the Carolina Premenstrual Assessment Scoring System (C-PASS). The C-PASS (available as a worksheet, Excel macro, and SAS macro) is a standardized scoring system for making DSM-5 PMDD diagnoses using two or more months of daily symptom ratings with the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred women recruited for retrospectively reported premenstrual emotional symptoms provided two to four months of daily symptom ratings on the DRSP. Diagnoses made by expert clinician and by the C-PASS were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Agreement of C-PASS diagnosis with expert clinical diagnosis was excellent; overall correct classification by the C-PASS was estimated at 98%. Consistent with previous evidence, retrospective reports of premenstrual symptom increases were a poor predictor of prospective C-PASS diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The C-PASS is a reliable and valid companion protocol to the DRSP that standardizes and streamlines the complex, multilevel diagnosis of DSM-5 PMDD. Consistent use of this robust diagnostic method would result in more clearly defined, homogeneous samples of women with PMDD, thereby improving the clarity of studies seeking to characterize and treat the underlying pathophysiology of the disorder.
authors: From the Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Tory A
authors: TA
authors: Eisenlohr-Moul
authors: From the Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Susan S
authors: SS
authors: Girdler
authors: From the Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Katja M
authors: KM
authors: Schmalenberger
authors: From the Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Danyelle N
authors: DN
authors: Dawson
authors: From the Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Pallavi
authors: P
authors: Surana
authors: From the Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Jacqueline L
authors: JL
authors: Johnson
authors: From the Departments of Psychiatry and Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: David R
authors: DR
authors: Rubinow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065446:Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult