TY - JOUR
T1 - The Symptom Checklist-core depression (SCL-CD6) scale
T2 - Psychometric properties of a brief six item scale for the assessment of depression
AU - Magnusson Hanson, Linda L
AU - Westerlund, Hugo
AU - Leineweber, Constanze
AU - Rugulies, Reiner
AU - Osika, Walter
AU - Theorell, Töres
AU - Bech, Per
PY - 2014/2
Y1 - 2014/2
N2 - AIMS: Major depressive disorders are common, with substantial impact on individuals/society. Brief scales for depression severity, based on a small number of characteristics all of which are necessary for diagnosis, have been recommended in self-reported versions for clinical work or research when aiming to quickly and accurately measure depression. We have examined psychometric properties of a brief 6-item version of the Symptom Checklist (SCL), the Symptom Checklist core depression scale (SCL-CD6) and aimed to identify a cut-point for epidemiological research.METHODS: The psychometric evaluation of the SCL-CD6 was mainly performed by a Mokken analysis of unidimensionality in a random sample of 1476 residents in the Stockholm County, aged 18-64 years. The standardization of SCL-CD6 was based on ROC analysis, using the Major Depression Inventory as index of validity. Predictive validity was subsequently assessed using register data on hospital admissions and purchases of prescribed medications linked to a sample of 5985 participants in the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH).RESULTS: The SCL-CD6 obtained a coefficient of homogeneity of 0.70 by Mokken analysis, which indicates high unidimensionality and a meaningful dimensional measure of depression severity. By ROC we identified a score of 17 or higher (total range 0-24) as the best cut-point for major depression (sensitivity 0.68, specificity 0.98) which predicted subsequent purchases of antidepressants as well as hospitalisations with a depressive episode.CONCLUSIONS: The SCL-CD6 was found a valid depression scale with higher unidimensionality than longer epidemiological instruments and thus particularly suitable for assessment in larger population surveys.
AB - AIMS: Major depressive disorders are common, with substantial impact on individuals/society. Brief scales for depression severity, based on a small number of characteristics all of which are necessary for diagnosis, have been recommended in self-reported versions for clinical work or research when aiming to quickly and accurately measure depression. We have examined psychometric properties of a brief 6-item version of the Symptom Checklist (SCL), the Symptom Checklist core depression scale (SCL-CD6) and aimed to identify a cut-point for epidemiological research.METHODS: The psychometric evaluation of the SCL-CD6 was mainly performed by a Mokken analysis of unidimensionality in a random sample of 1476 residents in the Stockholm County, aged 18-64 years. The standardization of SCL-CD6 was based on ROC analysis, using the Major Depression Inventory as index of validity. Predictive validity was subsequently assessed using register data on hospital admissions and purchases of prescribed medications linked to a sample of 5985 participants in the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH).RESULTS: The SCL-CD6 obtained a coefficient of homogeneity of 0.70 by Mokken analysis, which indicates high unidimensionality and a meaningful dimensional measure of depression severity. By ROC we identified a score of 17 or higher (total range 0-24) as the best cut-point for major depression (sensitivity 0.68, specificity 0.98) which predicted subsequent purchases of antidepressants as well as hospitalisations with a depressive episode.CONCLUSIONS: The SCL-CD6 was found a valid depression scale with higher unidimensionality than longer epidemiological instruments and thus particularly suitable for assessment in larger population surveys.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Checklist
KW - Depressive Disorder
KW - Depressive Disorder, Major
KW - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
KW - Psychometrics
KW - Reproducibility of Results
KW - Severity of Illness Index
KW - Sweden
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1177/1403494813500591
DO - 10.1177/1403494813500591
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23982463
SN - 1403-4948
VL - 42
SP - 82
EP - 88
JO - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica
JF - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica
IS - 1
ER -