Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29191173›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2017

Identifying levels of general distress in first line mental health services: can GP- and eHealth clients' scores be meaningfully compared?

Jan van Bebber, Johanna T W Wigman, Lex Wunderink, Jorge N Tendeiro, Marieke Wichers, Janneke Broeksteeg, Bart Schrieken, Sjoerd Sytema, Berend Terluin, Rob R Meijer

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jan van BebberUniversity Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700, RB, Groningen, The Netherlands. j.van.bebber@umcg.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9453-1862
Johanna T W WigmanUniversity Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700, RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Lex WunderinkDepartment of Education and Research, GGZ Friesland, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
Jorge N TendeiroDepartment of Psychometrics and Statistics, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Marieke WichersUniversity Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700, RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Janneke BroeksteegInterapy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Bart SchriekenInterapy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Sjoerd SytemaUniversity Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700, RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Berend TerluinDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Rob R MeijerDepartment of Psychometrics and Statistics, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Funding

NWO 016.156.019
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) (Huisarts Wetenschap 39: 538-47, 1996) is a self-report questionnaire developed in the Netherlands to distinguish non-specific general distress from depression, anxiety, and somatization. This questionnaire is often used in different populations and settings and there is a paper-and-pencil and computerized version.

methodsWe used item response theory to investigate whether the 4DSQ measures the same construct (structural equivalence) in the same way (scalar equivalence) in two samples comprised of primary mental health care attendees: (i) clients who visited their General Practitioner responded to the 4DSQ paper-and-pencil version, and (ii) eHealth clients responded to the 4DSQ computerized version. Specifically, we investigated whether the distress items functioned differently in eHealth clients compared to General Practitioners' clients and whether these differences lead to substantial differences at scale level.

resultsResults showed that in general structural equivalence holds for the distress scale. This means that the distress scale measures the same construct in both General Practitioners' clients and eHealth clients. Furthermore, although eHealth clients have higher observed distress scores than General Practitioners' clients, application of a multiple group generalized partial credit response model suggests that scalar equivalence holds.

conclusionsThe same cutoff scores can be used for classifying respondents as having low, moderate and high levels of distress in both settings.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAnxietyChildDepressionDiagnosis, DifferentialFemaleGeneral PracticeHumansMaleMental Health ServicesMiddle AgedNetherlandsPsychometrics

Identifiers

PMID29191173
PMCPMC5709985

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.