Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T19:44:42.788Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The development of a computerized assessment for minor psychiatric disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Glyn Lewis*
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Department of Community Medicine, University College, London
Anthony J. Pelosi
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Department of Community Medicine, University College, London
Eric Glover
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Department of Community Medicine, University College, London
Greg Wilkinson
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Department of Community Medicine, University College, London
Stephen A. Stansfeld
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Department of Community Medicine, University College, London
Paul Williams
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Department of Community Medicine, University College, London
Michael Shepherd
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London and Department of Community Medicine, University College, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Glyn Lewis, General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF.

Synopsis

This paper describes the development, validation and use of a computerized assessment for minor psychiatric disorder based on the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS; Goldberg et al. 1970). There was good agreement between the computerized assessment and the CIS administered by psychiatrists, both in assessing overall severity and in defining ‘cases’ of psychiatric disorder. Individual symptoms elicited by the computer and the CIS were compared, and the levels of agreement found were similar to those from inter-observer studies of standardized interviews. Subjects from a variety of non-psychiatric settings regarded the assessment as acceptable, accurate and easy to use. It is concluded that this computerized assessment of neurotic symptoms is valid and reliable. It eliminates observer bias, it is an efficient use of research resources and it may have clinical applications in primary care.

Type
Preliminary Communication
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, M. J. & Yen, W. M. (1979). Introduction to Measurement Theory. Brooks-Cole: Monterey, Califonia.Google Scholar
Carr, A. C. & Ghosh, A. (1983). Accuracy of behavioural assessment by computer. British Journal of Psychiatry 142, 6670.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carr, A. C., Ancill, R. J., Ghosh, A. & Margo, A. (1981). Direct assessment of depression by microcomputer. A feasibility study. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 64, 415422.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dove, G. A. W., Wigg, P., Clarke, J. H. C. Constantinidon, M., Royappa, B. A., Evans, C. R., Milne, J., Goss, C, Gordon, M. & de Wardener, H. E. (1977). The therapeutic effect of taking a patient's history by computer. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 27, 477481.Google ScholarPubMed
Duffy, J. C. & Waterton, J. J. (1984). Under reporting of alcohol consumption in sample surveys: The effect of computer interviewing in fieldwork. British Journal of Addiction 79, 303308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fleiss, J. L. (1981). Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions. Wiley: New York.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D. P. (1972). The Detection of Psychiatric Illness by Questionnaire. Oxford University Press: London.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D. P., Cooper, B., Eastwood, M. R., Kedward, H. B. & Shepherd, M. (1970). A standardised psychiatric interview for use in community surveys. British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine 24, 1823.Google ScholarPubMed
Greist, J. H., Gustafson, D. H., Stauss, F. F., Rowse, G. L., Laughren, T. P. & Chiles, J. A. (1973). A computer interview of suicide risk prediction. American Journal of Psychiatry 130, 13271331.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Joreskog, K. G. (1971). Statistical analysis of sets of congeneric sets Psychometrika 36, 109135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joreskog, K. G. & Sorbom, D. (1984). LISREL VI: Analysis of Linear Structural Relationships by the Method of Maximum Likelihood. Scientific Software: Indiana.Google Scholar
Kendell, R. E., Everett, B., Cooper, J. E., Sartorious, N. & David, M. E. (1968). The reliability of the ‘Present State Examination’. Social Psychiatry 3, 123129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lewis, G. H. & Williams, P. (1987). Defining cases without observations or judgement. Unpublished research report.Google Scholar
Lucas, R. W., Mullin, P. J., Luna, C. B. X. & McIlroy, D. C. (1977). Psychiatrists and a computer as interrogators of patients with alcohol related illnesses: a comparison. British Journal of Psychiatry 131, 160167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mari, J. de J. & Williams, P. (1985). A comparison of the validity of two psychiatric screening questionnaires (GHQ–12 and SRQ–20) in Brazil, using Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Psychological Medicine 15, 651659.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Metz, C. E., Wang, P.-L. & Kronman, H. B. (1984). ROCFIT Department of Radiology and the Franklin McLean Memorial Hospital Research Institute, University of Chicago.Google Scholar
Shepherd, M. & Clare, A. C. (1981). Addendum to Shepherd M., Cooper B., Brown A. C. & Kalton G. Psychiatric Illness in General Practice (second ed). Oxford University Press: Oxford.Google Scholar
Shepherd, M., Brooke, E. M., Cooper, J. E. & Lin, T. (1968). An Experimental Approach to Psychiatric Diagnosis. Acta Psychiatric Scandinavica Supplementum, 201.Google Scholar
Wilkinson, G. & Markus, A. C. (1987). Screening for psychiatric disorder: the use of a newly developed computerised version of the Clinical Interview Schedule as a criterion measure of psychiatric disorder (in preparation).Google Scholar
Wing, J. K., Cooper, J. E. & Sartorious, N. (1974). Measurement and Classification of Psychiatric Symptoms. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.Google Scholar
Wing, J. K.., Nixon, J. M., Mann, S. A. & Leff, J. P. (1977). Reliability of the PSE (ninth edn) used in a population study. Psychological Medicine 7, 505516CrossRefGoogle Scholar