How nonclinical are community samples?

Abstract

Mental health services are underutilized in our society by both adults and children. This finding presents a potential problem for researchers conducting community-based research. Previous studies have demonstrated that community-based researchers frequently do not screen participants for the presence of psychopathology nor do they ascertain whether therapeutic services are currently utilized. The present study explored the prevalence of psychopathology and treatment involvement in a sample of families recruited from the community. Results indicated that a fifth of the participants in this community-based sample met diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder or were in treatment for psychological difficulties at the time of recruitment for this study. Furthermore, mothers, fathers, and adolescents who met the criteria according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) for a psychological disorder had higher symptomatology than those who did not meet criteria. Methodological suggestions are provided. C

DNA Methylation at the DAT Promoter and Risk for Psychopathology: Intergenerational Transmission between School-Age Youths and Their Parents in a Community Sample

“…It must be stressed, however, that no other study has, to our knowledge, focused on parents and children in this developmental stage (school-age) by assessing both genotype and methylation, with a comparable attention to psychopathological symptoms. Although rarely performed, the study of psychopathological symptoms in community samples is supported by emerging literature underlining that up to a fifth of normative populations may show psychiatric problems ( 78 ). We acknowledge the fact that regression analyses suggesting a causal link between variables in cross-sectional studies cannot be considered conclusive in their results, due to limited effectiveness of this methodology outside longitudinal research.…”

The mental health status of refugees and asylum seekers attending a refugee health clinic including comparisons with a matched sample of Australian-born residents

“…We did this in order to help reduce bias that could be introduced by comparing a clinic sample with a community sample. While there are precedents for this methodology [ 38 , 39 ], and community and clinic samples may be more similar than is often assumed [ 40 , 41 ], the sampling differences should be kept in mind when interpreting the findings. Another limitation was that the two samples had non-contemporaneous data with the refugee data collected in 2013 and the national survey data collected in 2007 [ 15 ] but the 2007 survey is the most recent fully comparable data available.…”

Are Males and Females Sexually Abused As Children Socially Anxious Adults?

“…Since the SPAI was developed to conform to DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) criteria, it is surprising that such a large number of students in a nonclinical sample were classified as having possible or probable social anxiety. There has been a recent call to consider the nature of nonclinical samples as many community samples contain participants with clinical levels of psychological symptomology (Thurston et al, 2008). Approximately one-third of males and a little over a third of females reported being sexually abused as a child or adolescent.…”