Poor performance of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 in screening clinical depression and anxiety among a large sample of Chinese children and adolescents

BMC Psychiatry, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 25(1)

Published: March 29, 2025

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) are widely used symptom-based instruments for screening depression anxiety. However, their validation in Chinese children adolescents remains insufficient. We aim to investigate performance optimal cut-offs of PHQ-9 GAD-7 clinical anxiety, discuss influencing factors cut-offs. study subjects were chosen from 3 sites Mental Survey Children Adolescents Yunnan (MHSCAY), a total 2,237 participants who had been screened positive by self-administered questionnaire further diagnosed using gold standard included final analysis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves determine discriminative ability two instruments, measured area under curve (AUC). determined maximum Youden's index. A series stratified analyses performed discover best different characteristics. Logistic regression models adopted evaluate influence self-harm (SH) on identified found was generally poor both anxiety our sample, with AUCs ranged only between 0.622–0.712. When diagnosis purpose, 11 cut-off (AUC PHQ-9: 0.664, AUC GAD-7: 0.669). For age, gender, race, left-behind status, discordant identified. SH also showed conspicuous GAD-7, combination information can increase accuracy some subgroups. Both sample. This crucial finding suggests that, despite wide use scales, they might be fundamentally inadequate adolescents. Other tools higher should developed this age group.

Language: Английский

Emotional Vulnerability in Adolescents (EVA) Study: Identifying Potential Biopsychosocial Markers for Adolescent Depressive Symptoms and Well‐Being

Mental Health Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 3(2)

Published: March 27, 2025

ABSTRACT Adolescent depression is a highly recurrent and disabling mental health condition affecting significant proportion of adolescents. Conversely, adolescent well‐being positive state enhanced quality life. Depression are critical metrics life quality. However, little known about the biopsychosocial markers that differentiate between these states. Stemming from our extensive longitudinal emotional vulnerability in adolescents ((EVA) research, this study identified potential by examining associations range factors relatively homogenous sample at baseline. N = 425 (60.5% female 34.4% male) 12 18 years (M 15.06, SD 1.75) were recruited independent schools. A comprehensive battery standardized measures was administered to assess various factors, including background demographic clinical characteristics, lifestyle neural‐cognitive mechanisms, psychological social stress‐related coping style, personality traits. Multiple Regression analyzes using backward eliminations indicated less physical activity, more media usage, eating disorder risk, greater perceived stress, higher neuroticism, excessive rumination negative self‐reference bias accounted for 68% depressive symptoms. Lower cognitive interpretation sufficient account 51% scores. The present findings suggest key bio‐psycho‐social risk resilience may play role predicting well‐being. Upon further examination follow‐up studies, results will directly contribute developing preventative intervention strategies.

Language: Английский