Psychometric analysis of the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ) and determinants of psychopathology in two outpatient clinics in Navarre (Spain).

BACKGROUND: The self-report Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire PDSQ is designed to screen Axis I psychiatric disorders. We aim to determine its psychometric properties in Spanish outpatients and assess its relationship with two interviews (for psychopathology and for personality disorders) and clinical/demographic variables. METHODOLOGY: We administered the study questionnaire, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus (MINI-Plus), the Standardised Assessment of Personality Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS), and the List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire (LTE-Q) to 375 patients at two public outpatient centres. Reliability of the study questionnaire was evaluated (Cronbach's alpha, ?) and known-group validity measured by comparing groups based on demographic and clinical variables (binary logistic regression analysis) and MINI-Plus diagnoses (Mann-Whitney U). The diagnostic accuracy of the study questionnaire score was analysed taking the MINI-Plus diagnoses as the gold standard (ROC analysis). RESULTS: Internal consistency was adequate across all PDSQ scales (? >0.7; mean ?=0.85). Known-group comparisons were satisfactory. Female and male patients showed higher prevalence of internalizing and externalizing diagnoses, respectively. Younger age, more life events and limitations, higher SAPAS scores, and lower economic levels were linked to a greater number of PDSQ diagnoses. Inter-group differences were found for all PDSQ scales based on the corresponding MINI-Plus diagnoses. Mean values of sensitivity, AUC, and negative predictive value were 88.7, 0.82, and 96.7, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: When applied to a sample of Spanish outpatients, the PDSQ exhibits satisfactory psychometric properties and adequate relationships with the psychopathology and personality interviews, and clinical and demographic variables. The study questionnaire is suitable for assessing comorbidity and psychopathology dimensions.

The network structure of self-reported psychopathological dimensions in common mental disorders (CMDs)

Background and objectives: Common mental disorders (CMDs) in mental health settings show high rates of comorbidities. While semi-structured interviews are the gold standard to establish a diagnosis, there are self-report instruments such as the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ) that aids clinicians in improving the diagnostic process in a time-efficient manner.MethodsNetwork analysis of the 13 domains of the PDSQ was applied to a sample of 374 first-contact outpatients to identify domains of psychopathology acting as hubs and bridges of interconnections within the CMDs.ResultsA global network densely connected with positive connections among PDSQ domains was found. The global network has four main clusters: depression-anxiety, somatoform, psychosis and substance-related domains. This network allowed for the identification of main ‘nodes’ acting as hubs favoring interconnections between dimensions and main ‘bridges’ easing the connections between clusters.ConclusionThe network structure of the PDSQ domains might provide a complementary explanation to the high rates of comorbidity among CMDs. Moreover, our results support the relevance of the self-administered PDSQ inventory to account for a deeper understanding of comorbidities among CMDs. (AU)