Article

OBJECTIVES: To investigate (1) the diagnostic value of the Signs of Depression
Scale (SODS) in a Likert scale format and (2) whether the Likert scale improves
the diagnostic value compared with the original dichotomous scale. DESIGN: Cross-sectional multicentre study. SETTING:
One general and one university
hospital in the Netherlands. SUBJECTS: A total of 116 consecutive hospitalized
stroke patients, of whom 53 were patients with communicative impairment. MAIN
MEASURES: Depression was diagnosed with the Composite International Diagnostic
Interview (CIDI) administered to the patients' relatives. The Barthel Index (BI)
was used as an external validator. RESULTS: The correlation between the CIDI and
the SODS-Likert or the SODS was small ( rb = 0.18), and the correlation between
the Barthel Index and the SODS-Likert ( rs = -0.30) or the SODS ( rs = -0.33) was
moderate. For both instruments, the discriminatory power for diagnosing
depression when compared with the CIDI was best at a cut-off score of 2. The
internal consistency of the SODS-Likert was acceptable (alpha = 0.69) and
slightly higher than that of the SODS (alpha = 0.57).
The inter-rater reliability
of the SODS-Likert and the SODS was acceptable (intraclass correlation
coefficient (ICC) 0.66 and ICC 0.80, respectively). The clinical utility was
rated good. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic value of the SODS did not improve using a
Likert scale format. However, the diagnostic value of the original dichotomous
SODS is reasonable for the initial mood assessment of stroke patients with
communicative impairment.

Langue : ANGLAIS