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A comparison of the performance of rating scales used in the diagnosis of postnatal depression
Author(s) -
Thompson W. M.,
Harris B.,
Lazarus J.,
Richards C.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1998.tb10071.x
Subject(s) - rating scale , depression (economics) , psychology , clinical psychology , psychometrics , psychiatry , medicine , developmental psychology , economics , macroeconomics
The results of a study looking into the association between thyroid status and depression in the postpartum period were reanalysed to explore the psychometric properties of the rating scales employed. The performance of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was found to be superior to that of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in identifying RDC‐defined depression, and on a par with the observer‐rated Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, which it also matched for sensitivity to change in mood state over time. The anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale performed well, reflecting the fact that anxiety represents a prominent symptom in postnatal depression.