Abstract
Study design:
Comparison of two self-report instruments with a structured diagnostic interview.
Objective:
To investigate the properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) in patients with spinal cord injuries.
Setting:
South Australian Spinal Cord Injuries Service, Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, Northfield, South Australia.
Methods:
Forty paraplegic or tetraplegic patients participated. Two self-report measures, DASS-21 and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), assessed Depression, Anxiety and Stress. These measures were compared with each other and with diagnoses based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview.
Results:
Mean scores on both self-report measures were below clinical threshold levels. Prevalence rates of anxiety and depression were higher on DASS-21 than on BSI. DASS-21 was as sensitive as BSI, but had lower specificity to detect anxiety and depression.
Conclusion:
DASS-21 is a promising screening measure for patients with spinal cord injury in a rehabilitation setting. It has greater sensitivity for identifying those with possible anxiety disorders than it does for those with depressive disorders.
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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the patients of the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre for their participation and the staff of the centre for their assistance.
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Mitchell, M., Burns, N. & Dorstyn, D. Screening for depression and anxiety in spinal cord injury with DASS-21. Spinal Cord 46, 547–551 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3102154
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3102154
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