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The Sensitivity and Specificity of the Mood Disorders Questionnaire Varies with the Intensity of Mood Illness

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Abstract

The Mood Disorders Questionnaire (MDQ) is a tool that was created for screening for bipolar disorders. This study investigates the utility of the MDQ in an acute psychiatric in-patient setting. All patients admitted to an acute inpatient psychiatric unit completed the MDQ. Discharge diagnoses strictly followed DSM-IV criteria, but were determined through clinical interviews, collateral information, and psychiatric history, and were used to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the MDQ in this setting. 44 subjects were admitted during the study period; 42 completed the MDQ. 12 had bipolar illness. Sensitivity of MDQ was 0.58, and specificity was 0.76 (P < 0.05). Positive predictive value was 0.50 and negative predictive value was 0.82. The specificity and sensitivity of the MDQ appears to vary with the illness severity of the patients screened.

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Abbreviations

IRB:

Institutional review board/Human Studies Subject Protection Committee

MDQ:

Mood Disorders Questionnaire

N:

Number

NPV:

Negative predictive value

PPV:

Positive predictive value

P :

Probablity

SCID:

Structured clinical interview diagnosis

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the authors’ own professional resources.

Conflicts of interest

None of the authors have any pertinent conflicts of interest to declare. Dr. El-Mallakh is a speaker for AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, and Novartis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mood Disorders Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, MedCenter One, 501 East Broadway, Suite 340, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA

    Karthik S. Suresh, R. Jeannie Roberts & Rif S. El-Mallakh

Authors
  1. Karthik S. Suresh
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  2. R. Jeannie Roberts
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  3. Rif S. El-Mallakh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rif S. El-Mallakh.

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Suresh, K.S., Jeannie Roberts, R. & El-Mallakh, R.S. The Sensitivity and Specificity of the Mood Disorders Questionnaire Varies with the Intensity of Mood Illness. Psychiatr Q 84, 337–341 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-012-9249-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-012-9249-8

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