Identifying levels of general distress in first line mental health services: can GP- and eHealth clients’ scores be meaningfully compared?

Abstract

BackgroundThe Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) (Huisarts Wetenschap 39: 538–47, 1996) is a self-report questionnaire developed in the Netherlands to distinguish non-specific general distress from depression, anxiety, and somatization. This questionnaire is often used in different populations and settings and there is a paper-and-pencil and computerized version.MethodsWe used item response theory to investigate whether the 4DSQ measures the same construct (structural equivalence) in the same way (scalar equivalence) in two samples comprised of primary mental health care attendees: (i) clients who visited their General Practitioner responded to the 4DSQ paper-and-pencil version, and (ii) eHealth clients responded to the 4DSQ computerized version. Specifically, we investigated whether the distress items functioned differently in eHealth clients compared to General Practitioners’ clients and whether these differences lead to substantial differences at scale level.ResultsResults showed that in general structural equivalence holds for the distress scale. This means that the distress scale measures the same construct in both General Practitioners’ clients and eHealth clients. Furthermore, although eHealth clients have higher observed distress scores than General Practitioners’ clients, application of a multiple group generalized partial credit response model suggests that scalar equivalence holds.ConclusionsThe same cutoff scores can be used for classifying respondents as having low, moderate and high levels of distress in both settings.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12888-017-1552-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A Smart Screening Device for Patients with Mental Health Problems in Primary Health Care: Development and Pilot Study (Preprint)

“…In the alfa version of CATja, five psychopathology domains are available: Anxiety and Depression [9], Positive and Negative symptoms of psychosis [8], and a scale comprised of aspecific symptoms of stress [10]. Additionally, MHAs can measure the positive psychological constructs Companionship and Emotional support [11].…”

Improving Web-Based Treatment Intake for Multiple Mental and Substance Use Disorders by Text Mining and Machine Learning: Algorithm Development and Validation

“…After signing up, new patients were asked to fill in the Digitale Indicatiehulp Psychische Problemen (DIPP; Digital Indication Aid for Mental Health Problems) questionnaire, an approved and validated decision support tool developed by Interapy and the HSK group, a national organization for psychological care in the Netherlands [ 24 , 25 ]. The DIPP questionnaire consists of the Dutch version [ 26 ] of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire [ 27 , 28 ], complemented with several multiple-choice and open questions.…”

A Smart Screening Device for Patients with Mental Health Problems in Primary Health Care: Development and Pilot Study

“…The domains of psychopathology available in the alpha version were chosen based on (1) high prevalence in the target population (anxiety and depression), (2) the explicit wish of the envisioned end users (distress), and (3) severity of functional impairment (positive and negative symptoms of psychosis). Five psychopathology domains are currently available: anxiety and depression using the Patient Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) item pools [ 9 ], positive and negative symptoms of psychosis based on the Prodromal Questionnaire [ 6 ], and the distress scale of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire [ 7 ]. In addition, MHAs can assess the domains companionship and emotional support, using PROMIS item pools [ 8 ].…”