The Mood Assessment Program: a computerised diagnostic tool for deriving management plans for mood disorders
Author(s) -
Parker Gordon B,
Fletcher Kathryn,
Hyett Matthew P
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01875.x
Subject(s) - mood , anxiety , plan (archaeology) , set (abstract data type) , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , computer science , psychiatry , archaeology , history , programming language
The Mood Assessment Program (MAP) is a computerised assessment and diagnostic program developed at the Black Dog Institute, Sydney, to assist with diagnostic subtyping and management of mood disorders. MAP decision rules capture the applied research, informed by clinical expertise, that has been undertaken over the past two decades. Preliminary validation studies suggest the MAP possesses acceptable validity for key diagnostic decisions, including determination of polarity and depressive subtype, and the presence or absence of the principal anxiety disorders. The MAP provides a rich set of information to help the practitioner derive a broad formulation and so shape a management plan in conjunction with broad treatment guidelines. The program will be rolled out over the next 6 months as a formal evaluative tool for wide assessment and application by general practitioners, and subsequently to assist a broader range of health practitioners.