ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Whereas instruments are available to diagnose depression and to rate its severity, there is a lack of instruments to assess the phenomenology of depression, i.e. a set of mental phenomena that constitute subjective experience. The Algorithmically Structured Systematic Exploration of Subject's State of Mind (Assess_Mind) is based on open questions asked via a structured algorithm. Here, we evaluated its reliability and its validity to assess the phenomenology of major depressive episodes. METHODS: Scales were constructed to evaluate various aspects of major depressive episodes, and an Assess_Mind score was derived from these scales. Thirty-five patients presenting a major depressive episode were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale, Beck Depression Inventory and Symptom Checklist-90R. Two series of assessments were conducted, separated by 3 weeks. RESULTS: Interrater reliability was good to excellent and test-retest reliability was acceptable. Whereas construct validity was poor at the first time point (first day of the patient's inclusion), it was adequate for the second day and 3 weeks later. The change in the Assess_Mind score predicted the change in the CGI rating as well as the other instruments did. These results should be confirmed in larger samples. CONCLUSION: The Assess_Mind provided a useful assessment of the phenomenology of depression and of the course of major depressive episodes.
