Depression self-reports

Accordingly, a clinical antidepressant effect of rofecoxib was found in 2,228 patients with osteoarthritis, 15% of them showing a co-morbid depressive syndrome, which was evaluated by a specific depression self-report. Co-morbid depression was a significant predictor for worse outcome regarding the ostheoarthritis-related pain to rofecoxib therapy. Surprisingly, there was a significant decrease in the rate of substantive depression during therapy with 25 mg rofecoxib from 15% to 3% of the patients (CoUantes-Esteves and Femandez-Perrez, 2003). 

We have presumed a taxon and some indicators. Next, we take one of these indicators and assign scores to a group of individuals on each indicator (e.g., everyone gets a score from 1 to 7 on sadness, anhedonia, and suicidality), much as one does with the Beck Depression Inventory and similar self-report scales. Finally, we examine the pairwise intercorrelations of the indicators at all possible values of all other indicators. In the depression example, we would examine the correlation of sadness and anhedonia for those who score 1 on suicidality, those who score 2 on suicidality, and so forth, up the scale to those who score 7 on suicidality. Similarly, we would examine the correlation of sadness and suicidality for those who score 1 on anhedonia, those who score 2 on anhedonia, and so forth. This would be continued for all possible combinations of indicators. 

Coyne, J. C. (1994). Self-reported distress Analog or ersatz depression Psychological Bulletin, 116, 29-45. 

Hopkins Symptom Checklist. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) is a scale that has been used to measure the presence and intensity of various symptoms in outpatient neurotic patients. It is a 58-item self-rating scale and has generally been replaced by the Self-Report Symptom Inventory (SCL-90). It measures the symptoms during the past week and requires approximately 20 minutes to complete. There are five subtests somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and anxiety. 

Self-Report Symptom Inventory. Each of the 90 items in the SCL-90 uses a five-point scale of distress. It was designed as a general measure of symptomatology for use by adult psychiatric outpatients in either a research or clinical setting. It rates either the present or previous week. It requires about 15 minutes for the patient to complete this form and about 5 minutes for a technician to verify identifying information. This test is sensitive to drug effects and may be used with inpatients. Nine subscales are measured somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, anger-hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. 

Recent findings after subchronic, oral administration of Org 2766 in daily doses of 10-40 mg, showed a decrease in anxiety and depression (self-rated) and an improvement of feelings of competence, sociability and ward behaviour (observer-rated) (39). No side-effects like influence on autonomic activity and appetite, and no sedative effects were reported. It seems that Org 2766 may be a drug to be used in treating disturbances of mood in the elderly as well as symptoms of dementia. Many studies in these areas are underway. 

Raskin A, Schulterbrandt J, Reatig N, et al Replication of factors of psychopathology in interview, ward behavior and self-report ratings of hospitalized depressives. J Nerv Ment Dis 148 87-98, 1969... 

The Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self Report (IDS-SR) is a 29-item self-rating scale for the evaluation of depressive symptom severity. Each item is rated on a defined four-step scale (0 3). Analysis of sensitivity to change in symptom severity in an open-label trial showed that the IDS-SR was highly correlated with the 17-item HRSD (Rush et at., 1996). 

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a 14-item self-report scale that was developed originally to indicate the possible presence of anxiety and depressive states in the setting of medical outpatients between 16 and 65 years (Zigmond and Snaith, 1983). The HADS is widely utilized in clinical trials of treatment of comorbid depression and/or anxiety symptoms in somatic disorders (stroke, cardiac disease, cancer, etc.). 

Radloff, L.S. The Centre for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression Scale (CES-D) a self report depression scale for research in the general population. Appl. Psychol. Mens. 1, 385-401, 1977. 

Rossiter EM, Agras WS, Losch M. Changes in self-reported food intake in bulimics as a consequence of anti-depressant treatment. Int J Eat Disord 1988 7 779-783. 

Sleep in the elderly may also be affected by psychiatric morbidity. Psychiatric disorders, particularly major depressions, are not only associated with disturbed sleep but can also greatly impact both self-report and objective ratings of sleep quantity and quality [5], Depressive symptoms are common in older adults, especially among persons who are medically ill, bereaved, or cognitively impaired, but by no means always associated with disrupted sleep. In AD patients seen in clinical psychiatric settings, rates of major depression as high as 86 % have been reported, but the majority of studies report more modest rates of 17-29 %. 

With respect to a specific and common clinical problem, advice to withdraw hypnotic medication should follow a careful evaluation of self-reported sleep patterns, psychological factors and psychosocial status. Ambulant monitoring can be helpful in patients who have encountered severe problems in effecting withdrawal. A careful psychiatric assessment should be made to ascertain whether the patient has clinically significant anxiety and/or depression. Both should be treated with a selective serotonin receptor inhibitor (SSRI) before withdrawal from the hypnotic is attempted. An optimal tapering schedule should be discussed with the patient some will attempt a rapid withdrawal over less than 8 weeks and others will require much longer. This is particularly so if previous attempts to withdraw have been unsuccessful. Carers, family and friends should be mobilized to help in withdrawal, should the patient wish this. Substitution of zolpidem may facilitate withdrawal but should be kept as a reserve strategy. 

Patten SB, Williams JV, Love EJ. Self-reported depressive symptoms following treatment with corticosteroids and sedative-hypnotics. Int J Psychiatry Med 1996 26(l) 15-24. 

Sumnall HR, Cole JC. Self-reported depressive symptomatology in community samples of polysubstance misusers who report ecstasy use a meta-analysis. J Psychopharmacol 2005 19(l) 84-92. 

Clinical trials invariably employ self-reporting of symptoms, using standardized questionnaires, the tool most often used being the 17-or 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). A positive response to... 

Prusoff BA, Klerman GL, Paykel ES. Concordance between clinical assessments and patients self-report in depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1972 26 546-52. 

Tanaka-Matsumi J, Kameoka VA. Reliabilities and concurrent validates of popular self-report measures of depression, anxiety, and social desirability. J Consult Clin Psychol 1986 54 328-33. 

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