Stress, depression and anxiety are common mental disorders that affect a large proportion of the Danish population. Most of these less severe mental disorders are identified, diagnosed and treated in general practice.

The general practitioner (GP) has a number of so-called psychometric tests available, which can be used when a mental disorder is suspected. A psychometric test may help identify which type of disorder it is, how severe it is, what treatment may be relevant, or how well a treatment is working for the person in question.

The psychometric tests are designed to be objective and standardised.

Modified versions measure more accurately

Based on his background as a statistician, Henrik Schou Pedersen has investigated the use of psychometric tests in Danish general practice through four studies in his PhD project.

He has studied the psychometric properties of three of the most commonly applied psychometric tests: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which is used when a stress-related disorder is suspected, the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), which is used when depression is suspected, and the Anxiety Symptoms Scale (ASS), which is used when an anxiety disorder is suspected.

The results indicate that the ASS can be used as a measure of anxiety burden, while higher precision can be achieved for the PSS and the MDI when the modified versions are used; these modified version were developed and tested in the PhD project.

Oral defence on 24 May 2024

The PhD thesis and the four scientific papers present the results of the three-year enrolment at the Graduate School of Health, Aarhus University. The project was carried out in a close collaboration between the Research Unit for General Practice in Aarhus, the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Copenhagen and the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University.

The PhD project was supported by unrestricted grants from the General Practice Research Foundation, the Committee for Quality Improvement and Continuing Medical Education in general practice in the Central Denmark Region, Dagmar Marshall’s Foundation and Aarhus University.

Henrik Schou Pedersen defends his PhD thesis ”Use and validation of psychomtric tests in general practice” on Friday 24 May 2024 at 1.00 p.m. in Samfundsmedicinsk Auditorium (1262-101), Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 4, 8000 Aarhus C.

The defence is public. Everyone is welcome. After the PhD defence, the research unit will host a small reception in room 118, building 1261.
 

More information

PhD student Henrik Schou Pedersen
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health &
Research Unit for General Practice
henrikp@ph.au.dk

The four studies of the project

• Variation in psychometric testing in general practice - a nationwide cohort study. Pedersen H.S., Christensen K.S., Prior A. Clinical Epidemiology, 2023 22:15: 391-405.
• The dimensionality of the Perceived Stress Scale: the presence of opposing items is a source of measurement error. Pedersen H.S., Christensen K.S., Prior A., Christensen K.B. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2024 1:344:485-494.
• A comparison of the original major depression inventory with a modified version: A Danish validation study. Pedersen H.S., Christensen K.B., Prior A., Christensen K.S. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2024, 149(3):267-278.
• The structural validity of the Anxiety Symptom Scale. Pedersen H.S., Christensen K.B., Prior A., Christensen K.S. (not yet published).