scholarly journals The perk of writing: How expressive writing reduces depressive symptoms

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 942
Author(s):  
Efendy Xu ◽  
Tara Yen Siang Tan ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Chen Sung Wong ◽  
KamYan Chong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Positive Experience ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Positive Writing

<span lang="EN-MY">This study aimed to examine types of expressive writing and the underlying themes that will lead to the reduction of depression symptoms. We hypothesized that positive experience writing will significantly reduce depressive symptoms as compared to other types of expressive writing. This study recruited 45 young adults (17 men, 28 women) between 20 and 28 years old to perform online expressive writing for a four-week period and fill in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) before and after the treatment. Our findings suggested that positive expressive writing led to a significantly greater reduction of depressive symptoms as compared to other types of expressive writing. The qualitative analysis showed that there are eight common themes in positive writing that might contribute to the reduction of symptoms: companionship, mattering, gratitude, positive emotions, energetic, motivation, relaxation, and delicious food. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed.</span>

scholarly journals The reliability and validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and PHQ-2 in patients with infertility

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saman Maroufizadeh ◽  
Reza Omani-Samani ◽  
Amir Almasi-Hashiani ◽  
Payam Amini ◽  
Mahdi Sepidarkish
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Patient Health Questionnaire ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Patient Health

Abstract Background Depression in patients with infertility often goes undiagnosed and untreated. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and its ultra-brief version (i.e. PHQ-2) are widely used measures of depressive symptoms. These scales have not been validated in patients with infertility. The aim of the present study was to examine the reliability and validity of the PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 in patients with infertility. Methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 539 patients with infertility from a referral infertility clinic in Tehran, Iran completed the PHQ-9, along with other relevant scales: the WHO-five Well-being Index (WHO-5), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Factor structure and internal consistency of PHQ-9 were examined via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach’s alpha, respectively. Convergent validity was evaluated by relationship with WHO-5, HADS and GAD-7. Results The mean total PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 scores were 8.47 ± 6.17 and 2.42 ± 1.86, respectively, and using a cut-off value of 10 (for PHQ-9) and 3 (for PHQ-2), the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 38.6 and 43.6%, respectively. The Cronbach’s alphas for PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 were, respectively, 0.851 and 0.767, indicating good internal consistency. The CFA results confirmed the one-factor model of the PHQ-9 (χ2/df = 4.29; CFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.078 and SRMR = 0.044). Both PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 showed moderate to strong correlation with the measures of WHO-5, HADS-depression, HADS-anxiety, and the GAD-7, confirming convergent validity. In univariate analysis, female sex, long infertility duration, and unsuccessful treatment were significantly associated with depression symptoms. Conclusion Both PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 are brief and easy to use measures of depressive symptoms with good psychometric properties that appear suitable for routine use in patients with infertility.

scholarly journals Mixed-Method Evaluation of the Public Health Questionnaire for Estimating Depression Among Tibetan Buddhist Monastics

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Mascaro ◽  
Danielle Shellman ◽  
Wesley A. Keaton ◽  
Madison Willson ◽  
Erin Brauer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
Depression Screening ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Interviews ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Patient Health

Background: Depression is the largest source of global medical disability, highlighting the importance of translating and validating depression screening instruments to improve our understanding of differences in the prevalence of depression in divergent cultures around the world. The aim of this study was to translate and evaluate a widely used depression screening and diagnostic instrument, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), for use with Tibetan populations. A secondary aim was to use the Tibetan-PHQ-9 (T-PHQ-9) to estimate the prevalence of depression symptoms in a population of Tibetan-speaking Buddhist monastic scholars engaging in a 6-year science curriculum in India, the Emory Tibet Science Initiative (ETSI).Methods: Three-hundred-eighty-four monastics (363 monks, 21 nuns) completed the T-PHQ-9. We computed measures of internal consistency and conducted factor analysis to evaluate scale performance. Following this, we evaluated the prevalence of depressive symptoms among the monastic population. We also conducted cognitive interviews with six monastics to explore their thought processes when completing the instrument and when thinking about depression symptoms.Results: The T-PHQ-9 had acceptable reliability and demonstrated a single-factor structure. While having low energy was the most commonly endorsed symptom, monastics did not have overall higher endorsement rates of other somatic symptoms when compared with endorsement rates of emotional symptoms. Over 10% of the monastics scored in the moderately severe to severe range and met criteria for major depressive disorder using standard diagnostic criteria cut-offs. First year monks had the highest mean score, and there was not a significant difference between monks and nuns. Cognitive interviews revealed some variation in the cognitive processes used to complete the instrument, particularly with symptoms related to energy and concentration.Conclusion: These preliminary findings indicate that the Tibetan PHQ-9 is a reliable instrument for assessing depressive symptoms, as evidenced by its ability to inform how symptoms are experienced, interpreted, and communicated among Buddhist monastics. Results from the cognitive interviews may be important for further refining the instrument.

scholarly journals Validation and calibration of the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) in Argentina

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
María Urtasun ◽  
Federico Manuel Daray ◽  
Germán Leandro Teti ◽  
Fernando Coppolillo ◽  
Gabriela Herlax ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Patient Health Questionnaire ◽  
Receiver Operating Curve ◽  
Local Version ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Good Ability ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Severity Of Depression ◽  
Degrees Of Severity

Abstract Background The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a brief tool to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. This study aimed to validate and calibrate the PHQ-9 to determine appropriate cut-off points for different degrees of severity of depression in Argentina. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study on an intentional sample of adult ambulatory care patients with different degrees of severity of depression. All patients who completed the PHQ-9 were further interviewed by a trained clinician with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Reliability and validity tests, including receiver operating curve analysis, were performed. Results One hundred sixty-nine patients were recruited with a mean age of 47.4 years (SD = 14.8), of whom 102 were females (60.4%). The local PHQ-9 had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87) and satisfactory convergent validity with the BDI-II scale [Pearson’s correlation = 0.88 (p < 0.01)]. For the diagnosis of Major Depressive Episode (MDE) according to the MINI, a PHQ-9 ≥ 8 was the optimal cut-off point found (sensitivity 88.2%, specificity 86.6%, PPV 90.91%). The local version of PHQ-9 showed good ability to discriminate among depression severity categories according to the BDI-II scale. The best cut off points were 6–8 for mild cases, 9–14 for moderate and 15 or more for severe depressive symptoms respectively. Conclusions The Argentine version of the PHQ-9 questionnaire has shown acceptable validity and reliability for both screening and severity assessment of depressive symptoms.

scholarly journals Direct Participation in and Indirect Exposure to the Occupy Central Movement and Depressive Symptoms: A Longitudinal Study of Hong Kong Adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 184 (9) ◽  
pp. 636-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Y. Ni ◽  
Tom K. Li ◽  
Herbert Pang ◽  
Brandford H. Y. Chan ◽  
Betty Y. Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Patient Health Questionnaire ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Personal Involvement ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Population Mental Health ◽  
History Of ◽  
Occupy Central

Abstract Despite the extensive history of social movements around the world, the evolution of population mental health before, during, and after a social movement remains sparsely documented. We sought to assess over time the prevalence of depressive symptoms during and after the Occupy Central movement in Hong Kong and to examine the associations of direct and indirect exposures to Occupy Central with depressive symptoms. We longitudinally administered interviews to 909 adults who were randomly sampled from the population-representative FAMILY Cohort at 6 time points from March 2009 to March 2015: twice each before, during, and after the Occupy Central protests. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to assess depressive symptoms and probable major depression (defined as Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥10). The absolute prevalence of probable major depression increased by 7% after Occupy Central, regardless of personal involvement in the protests. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with online and social media exposure to protest-related news (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.55) and more frequent Facebook use (IRR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.71). Higher levels of intrafamilial sociopolitical conflict was associated with more depressive symptoms (IRR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.09). The Occupy Central protests resulted in substantial and sustained psychological distress in the community.

Functional Disability Among Older Versus Younger Adults With Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

2021 ◽  
pp. OP.20.01004
Author(s):  
Carolyn J. Presley ◽  
Nicole A. Arrato ◽  
Sarah Janse ◽  
Peter G. Shields ◽  
David P. Carbone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Advanced Nsclc ◽  
Small Cell ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Small Cell Lung ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Ecog Ps ◽  
Item Scale

PURPOSE: To determine patient and disease characteristics associated with functional disability among adults with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: In a prospective cohort of participants newly diagnosed with advanced NSCLC and beginning systemic treatment, functional disability in usual activities, mobility, and self-care was measured using the EuroQol-5D-5L at baseline. Demographics, comorbidities, brain metastases, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), and psychologic variables (depression [Patient Health Questionnaire-9] and anxiety [Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale]) were captured. Patients were classified into two disability groups (none-slight or moderate-severe) on the basis of total functional status scores. Differences between disability groups were determined (chi-square and t tests). Associations between patient characteristics and baseline disability were assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 173 participants, mean age was 63.3 years, 56% were male, 83% had ECOG PS 0-1, and 41% had brain metastases. Baseline disability was present in 39% of participants, with patients having moderate to severe disability in usual activities (37.6%), mobility (26.6%), and self-care (5.2%). Depressive and/or anxiety symptoms ranged from none to severe (Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item scale M = 6.5, SD = 5.3). Depressive symptoms were the only characteristic associated with a higher odds of baseline disability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.26; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.38; P < .001). Participants with poorer ECOG PS (aOR: 4.64; 95% CI, 1.84 to 11.68; P = .001) and depressive symptoms (aOR: 1.15; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.24; P < .001) had higher odds of moderate-severe mobility disability compared with the none-slight disability group. CONCLUSION: More than one third of all adults with advanced NSCLC have moderate-severe functional disability at baseline. Psychologic symptoms were significantly associated with moderate-severe baseline disability.

scholarly journals 118 Use of Patient Health Questionnaire to Predict Relapses in Patients with Treatment-resistant Depression Treated With Esketamine + Oral Antidepressant

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-277
Author(s):  
Carol Jamieson ◽  
Nan Li ◽  
Ella Daly ◽  
Adam Janik ◽  
Rosanne Lane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Patient Health Questionnaire ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Treatment Resistant Depression ◽  
Treatment Resistant ◽  
Relapse Risk ◽  
Total Score Range ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Resistant Depression

Abstract:Objective:To assess the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) as a predictor of relapse of depressive symptoms in treatment-resistant depression (TRD).Method:Analysis included maintenance phase data from SUSTAIN-1 (NCT02493868), a randomized, double-blind, active-controlled study in TRD patients that evaluated efficacy of intranasal esketamine (ESK) + oral antidepressant (AD) vs AD + intranasal placebo in delaying relapse of depressive symptoms. A ≥50% reduction in initial symptom score and total score of ≤12 were considered as response and remission, respectively, using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. PHQ-9 total score (range, 0–27), PHQ-2 total score (0–6), and individual items of the PHQ-9 (0–3) were examined as predictors of relapse. Data were collected every 2 weeks. Association between time-varying PHQ-9 and event of depression relapse was evaluated in Andersen-Gill Cox model.Results:Of 176 stable remitters, 63 had a relapse event (ESK+AD [n=24]; AD+placebo [n=39]). Of 121 stable responders, 50 had a relapse event (ESK+AD [n=16]; AD+placebo [n=34]). Among stable remitters, PHQ-9 total score (HR; 95% CI [1.12; 1.04–1.21]) and PHQ-2 total score (1.58; 1.25–1.99) were associated with relapse risk. PHQ-9 items #1 (loss of pleasure, 2.07; 1.38–3.09), #2 (feeling down, 2.18; 1.51–3.15), #4 (feeling tired, 1.54; 1.13–2.11), and #6 (negative self-view, 2.27; 1.41–3.66) were associated with relapse risk. PHQ-2 total scale yielded the smallest Akaike’s Information Criterion among stable remitters and responders.Conclusion:PHQ-9, PHQ-2 total scores or individual items may be useful for predicting relapse of depressive symptoms among stable TRD patients.Funding Acknowledgements:This study was sponsored by Janssen Research and Development, LLC.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in an urban, ophthalmic population

2020 ◽  
pp. 112067212090170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen L Mayro ◽  
Ann P Murchison ◽  
Lisa A Hark ◽  
Marlee Silverstein ◽  
Olivia Y Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
Patient Health Questionnaire ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Diabetes Status ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Clinically Significant

Objective: To determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in an adult ophthalmic patient population and to delineate correlates. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: Adult patients (⩾18 years) were approached in general and sub-specialty cornea, retina, and glaucoma ophthalmic clinics. A total of 367 patients from the four clinics were enrolled. Methods: Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. A cut-off score of ⩾10 was used to indicate clinically significant depressive symptoms. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores were used to evaluate bivariate relationships between depressive symptoms and distance visual acuity, ocular diagnosis, diabetes status, smoking status, demographic information, and medications. Results: The majority of patients were female (52.9%) and Caucasian (48.6%). The mean age was 52.0 years (standard deviation: 16.7). Clinically significant depressive symptoms were present in 19.9% of patients overall; this rate varied slightly by clinic. Patients with low vision and blindness (visual acuity worse than 20/60) were more likely to have depressive symptoms (odds ratio = 2.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.90–4.21). Smoking and diabetes were also associated with depressive symptoms (odds ratio = 3.11 (2.66–3.64) and 3.42 (1.90–6.16), respectively). Conclusion: In a sample of urban ophthalmic adult patients, depressive symptoms were highly associated with low vision, smoking, and diabetes. This information can be used to target interventions to those at greatest risk of depressive symptoms.

scholarly journals DOES THE PATIENT HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE MEASURE MOOD-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN NURSING FACILITY RESIDENTS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S160-S160
Author(s):  
Weiwen Ng ◽  
Yinfei Duan ◽  
Tetyana P Shippee
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Positive Mood ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Nursing Facility ◽  
Patient Health

Abstract The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a depressive symptom questionnaire administered to nursing facility (NF) residents in the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Does the PHQ-9 measure mood-related aspects of quality of life (QoL)? We assessed the PHQ-9’s convergent validity with negative and positive mood items from Minnesota’s QoL survey, which is administered annually to a random sample of residents. We also examined if scores on both instruments were associated with various psychiatric diagnoses on the MDS. Using item response theory (IRT) models, we estimated that depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) had a correlation of 0.546 with negative mood and -0.425 with positive mood. With explanatory IRT modeling, we estimated that diagnoses of anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder were respectively associated with 0.261, 0.339, and 0.301 (all p &lt; 0.001) standard deviation increases in (SD) depressive symptoms, and with 0.235, 0.261, and 0.306 SD increases in negative mood (all p &lt; 0.001), thus indicating convergent validity. For positive mood, depression and bipolar disorder had associations of similar magnitude as the other two constructs. However, anxiety disorders were not associated with lower positive mood (-0.014 SD, p = 0.636). Thus, the PHQ-9 can measure mood-related aspects of QoL. However, the PHQ-9 appears to be sensitive to relatively serious depression, whereas the Minnesota items are more sensitive to lower levels of negative mood. Also, the PHQ-9 does not measure positive mood directly. Thus, the PHQ-9 is a more limited measure of mood-related QoL than the Minnesota items.

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