Patterns of item score and total score distributions on depression rating scales in the general population: evidence and mechanisms

Tomitaka, Shinichiro

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05862

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 35 publications

(71 reference statements)

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“…Moreover, numerous studies have reported that GAD and depression have high comorbidity [1,[20][21][22]. The present authors have previously shown that a characteristic pattern of item responses occurs only when a general trait of the variables in question follows an exponential distribution [30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

“…As the 2019 NHIS was a survey with a complex design, analyses of item response frequencies were weighted by survey-specific weights which made the sample representative of the target population [8]. Previous studies have reported that, when a self-report scale for measuring depression is administered among the general population, the ratios between consecutive response options remain similar across all items in the scale, except for the option at the lower end of the score range [30]. Thus, the respective ratios of "more than half the days" to "several days" and "nearly every day" to "more than half the days" were calculated for all eight items of the PHQ-8.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This two-stage process implies that "not at all" corresponds to the under-threshold range, while the remaining degreeadverb options correspond to the over-threshold range. If each of the remaining response options corresponds to a specific proportion of the over-threshold range, the item responses should show different patterns between the response option at the lower end and the remaining options [30]. Further research should focus on how each of the remaining response options can correspond to a specific proportion of the over-threshold range.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2B), the lines showed a generally parallel pattern from "several days" to "nearly every day. " Mathematically, this parallelism of the eight lines on the logarithmic scale reflects the similarity of the values for the "more than half the days" to "several days" ratio across the eight items, and of the values for the "nearly every day" to "more than half the days" ratio across the items, respectively [30].…”

Section: Phq-8 Item Responsesmentioning

confidence: 96%

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The GAD-7 and the PHQ-8 exhibit the same mathematical pattern of item responses in the general population: analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey

Tomitaka

Furukawa

2021

BMC Psychol

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Background Recent studies have shown that, among the general population, responses to depression-rating scales follow a common mathematical pattern. However, the mathematical pattern among responses to the items of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is currently unknown. The present study investigated whether item responses to the GAD-7, when administered to the general population, follow the same mathematical distribution as those of depression-rating scales. Methods We used data from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey (31,997 individuals), which is a nationwide survey of adults conducted annually in the United States. The patterns of item responses to the GAD-7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8), respectively, were analyzed inductively. Results For all GAD-7 items, the frequency distribution for each response option (“not at all,” “several days,” “more than half the days,” and “nearly every day,” respectively) was positively skewed. Line charts representing the responses to each GAD-7 item all crossed at a single point between “not at all” and “several days” and, on a logarithmic scale, showed a parallel pattern from “several days” to “nearly every day.” This mathematical pattern among the item responses was identical to that of the PHQ-8. This characteristic pattern of the item responses developed because the values for the “more than half the days” to “several days” ratio were similar across all items, as were the values for the “nearly every day” to “more than half the days” ratio. Conclusions Our results suggest that the symptom criteria of generalized anxiety disorder and major depression have a common distribution pattern in the general population.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Phq-8 Item Responsesmentioning

confidence: 96%

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The GAD-7 and the PHQ-8 exhibit the same mathematical pattern of item responses in the general population: analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey

Tomitaka

Furukawa

2021

BMC Psychol

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On the Benefit of Robust Bayesian Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Vaisman,

Scovell,

Kinaev

et al. 2024

Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal

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Mathematical pattern of Kessler psychological distress distribution in the general population of the U.S. and Japan

Tomitaka

Furukawa

2021

BMC Psychiatry

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Background Although the 6-item Kessler psychological scale (K6) is a useful depression screening scale in clinical settings and epidemiological surveys, little is known about the distribution model of the K6 score in the general population. Using four major national survey datasets from the United States and Japan, we explored the mathematical pattern of the K6 distributions in the general population. Methods We analyzed four datasets from the National Health Interview Survey, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in the United States, and the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in Japan. We compared the goodness of fit between three models: exponential, power law, and quadratic function models. Graphical and regression analyses were employed to investigate the mathematical patterns of the K6 distributions. Results The exponential function had the best fit among the three models. The K6 distributions exhibited an exponential pattern, except for the lower end of the distribution across the four surveys. The rate parameter of the K6 distributions was similar across all surveys. Conclusions Our results suggest that, regardless of different sample populations and methodologies, the K6 scores exhibit a common mathematical distribution in the general population. Our findings will contribute to the development of the distribution model for such a depression screening scale.

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Patterns of item score and total score distributions on depression rating scales in the general population: evidence and mechanisms

Cited by 3 publications

References 35 publications

The GAD-7 and the PHQ-8 exhibit the same mathematical pattern of item responses in the general population: analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey

The GAD-7 and the PHQ-8 exhibit the same mathematical pattern of item responses in the general population: analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey

On the Benefit of Robust Bayesian Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Mathematical pattern of Kessler psychological distress distribution in the general population of the U.S. and Japan

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