Measurement invariance of the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 across males and females seeking treatment for common mental health disorders

BMC Psychiatry

Research

Joshua Stott¹  Syed Ali Naqvi²  Delilah Moinian³  Henry Delamain³  Rob Saunders³  Stephen Pilling⁴  Joshua E.J. Buckman⁵  Jon Wheatley⁶  Satwant Singh⁷ 

[1] ADAPT Lab, Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK;Barking & Dagenham and Havering IAPT Services, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;CORE Data Lab, Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness (CORE), Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK;CORE Data Lab, Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness (CORE), Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK;Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;CORE Data Lab, Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness (CORE), Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK;iCope - Camden and Islington Psychological Therapies Services, Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;Talk Changes: City & Hackney IAPT Service, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;Waltham Forest Talking Therapies, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK;

关键词: Measurement invariance;    Gender;    PHQ-9;    GAD-7;    Community mental health services;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-023-04804-x

 received in 2022-10-28, accepted in 2023-04-19,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the seven-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) are routinely used in research and clinical practice. Whilst measurement invariance of these measures across gender has been demonstrated individually in general population studies and clinical samples, less is known about invariance of the distinct but correlated latent factors (‘depression’ and ‘anxiety’). The current study assessed measurement invariance of these constructs across males and females seeking treatment for common mental health disorders.MethodsData were provided from eight psychological treatment services in London, England. Data from initial assessments with the services where individual items on the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were available were included in analyses. Measurement invariance was explored across self-identified genders, with ‘male’ and ‘female’ categories available in the dataset. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using propensity score matching on sociodemographic and clinical variables.ResultsData were available for 165,872 patients (110,833 females, 55,039 males). There was evidence of measurement invariance between males and females in both the full sample and a propensity score matched sample (n = 46,249 in each group).ConclusionsMeasurement invariance of the correlated depression and anxiety factors of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were indicated in this sample of individuals seeking psychological treatment for CMHDs. These results support the use of these measures in routine clinical practice for both males and females. This is of particular importance for assessing the prevalence of clinically significant levels of symptoms as well as comparing treatment outcomes across genders.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023. corrected publication 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 2

Fig. 1