Developing and Testing Self-Assessment Scales to Support Psychiatric Diagnosis and Follow-up in Adults with Mental Health Issues

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to develop and scientifically evaluate a set of self-assessment scales to support psychiatric diagnostics and follow-up in adults with psychiatric problems. These scales collect detailed information on symptoms, age of onset, symptom development, relation to external stress, and the impact on function and suffering. The goal is to create validated tools that help clinicians classify psychiatric conditions more effectively using fewer, optimized questions. Participants are recruited consecutively from five specific sites and asked to complete various item sets measuring relevant psychiatric symptoms. The study involves multiple groups, each responding to different item sets that are refined and validated over time using statistical methods. After optimizing individual item sets, the scales are combined and further tested to reduce the number of questions and dimensions needed for accurate assessment. Participants will answer sets of questions about their symptoms and experiences during multiple recruitment phases. Researchers analyze the responses to refine the scales, aiming for concise and reliable tools. The main outcome measure is the Scalability H index, which assesses the measurement quality of the scales. Participation involves completing questionnaires, with ongoing evaluation to improve the diagnostic support system.

A Useful Support System for Psychiatric Diagnostics and Follow-up in Adult Psychiatry and Primary Care (ASPP)