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Validation of the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Center of Epidemiologic Studies : depression scale in a military psychiatric clinic
Author
Lum, Shin Si
Supervisor
Neihart, Maureen
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common forms of mental disorders and associated with significant functional impairment and economic cost. Despite the high prevalence of depression and its consequences, under- detection is common. For these reasons, it is important for people, especially the vulnerable population, to be screened and treated. This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of two screening instruments for depression, the Beck Depression Inventory - Version 2 (BDI-II), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), for the military conscript in Singapore. It also seeks to establish the optimal cut-off scores for the instruments and compare their psychometric abilities. One hundred conscripts who were treated in a military psychiatric clinic were recruited for the study. They were administered the BDI-I1 and CES-D, and then assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) to establish the clinical diagnosis. Results showed that thirty-five participants fulfilled the diagnostic criterion for depression. The BDI-11 and CES-D were found to possess excellent internal reliability. The Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) analyses were performed to determine the criterion validities of the instruments. Results of ROC analyses demonstrated good criterion validity for the BDI-I1 and CES-D. The optimal cut-off scores were 30 for BDI-I1 and 36 for CES-D. The scores for BDI-I1 and CES-D were also found to be significantly correlated. Overall, the results suggest that the BDI-I1 and CES-D are useful in the assessment for depression in the military psychiatric population, and they are almost indistinguishable from one another in terms of performance.
Date Issued
2009
Call Number
RC537 Lum
Date Submitted
2009