Reliability and validity of the Geriatric Depression Scale in detection of poststroke minor depression.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) as a screening tool for minor depression in poststroke patients. METHOD: Literate patients older than 18 years of age, diagnosed to have stroke, were eligible for the study. Standardized Mini Mental Status Examination (S-MMSE) and GDS were applied to all patients. The GDS was readministered 7 days later for retest reliability. RESULTS: A total of 85 participants--49 nondepressed and 36 with minor depression--were eligible for the study. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .89 in internal consistency analysis. The GDS scores were significantly higher (p < .001) in the depressed participants reflecting a high discriminant validity. The highest sum of sensitivity and specificity values of 1.44 (sensitivity = .69, specificity = .75) and 1.45 (sensitivity = .66, specificity = .79) were obtained for cutoff scores of 10/11 and 11/12, respectively. The area under receiver operating characteristics curve was .82. The test-retest reliability analysis revealed a high Pearson correlation coefficient (r = .75). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the 30-item GDS has high discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability and reasonably useful cutoff scores; thus it can be used as a screening tool for minor depression in the poststroke population.

[Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale (SASS)]. / Sosyal Uyum Kendini Degerlendirme Olçegi (SUKDO) Türkçe formunum geçerlik ve güvenilirligi.

OBJECTIVE: SASS is a new self-evaluation scale that assesses the level of social functioning in depressed patients for clinical research purposes. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of SASS. METHOD: Data were obtained from 2 different sample groups that had no physical disturbances that could impair social functioning; healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 65 years (n = 66) and patients (n = 227) diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). Assessment tools used in the study were SASS, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, 17-item version, and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. RESULTS: In the reliability analysis of both groups combined and the MDD group Cronbach's alpha values for the internal consistency of the scale were 0.90 and 0.87, respectively. Item-total score correlations were between 0.22 and 0.66 for both groups combined, and between 0.21 and 0.59 for the MDD group. The correlation coefficient of the scale's test-retest reliability was 0.770 (P < 0.0001) and the SASS value rose from 29.4 +/- 8.1 to 37.8 +/- 8.1 following treatment of depression (P < 0.0001). Four factors with Eigen values > 1 were obtained from the factor analysis. Factor 1, with an Eigen value of 7.169 explained 35.8% of the total variance and represented the entire scale alone. CONCLUSIONS: The Turkish version of SASS, as the original scale, demonstrated adequate validity and reliability for the measurement of loss of social functioning in MDD patients and demonstrated that scores changed in accordance with treatment for depression.