Research in

mental disorders, psychometric tests and bereavement

The general practitioner (GP) treats a wide range of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders. The GP may refer severe cases to a psychologist or psychiatrist, but many mild to moderate mental health issues are managed and treated effectively in general practice.

The current projects focus on seven main themes:

Diagnosis of mental disorders
Grief and bereavement
Mental well-being and chronic disease
Problem-solving therapy as a cognitive-behavioural intervention
Talk therapy as mental health treatment
Treatment with antidepressants
Validation of psychometric tests.

The research group is also engaged in studies investigating ways to improve the diagnostic accuracy of psychometric tools and the treatment of combined somantic and mental disorders in general practice.

Selected publications

A comparison of the original major depression inventory with a modified version: a Danish validation study. doi.org/10.1111/acps.13656
Cross-cultural validity of the WHO-5 Well-Being Index and Euthymia Scale: A clinimetric analysis. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.111
Experiencing missing contact with professionals and long term beravement outcome. doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.09.006
Exploring functional impairment in light of prolonged grief disorder: a prospective population-based cohort study. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.537674
Improving mental health in chronic care in general practice: study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial of the Healthy Mind intervention. doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08115-8
Managing mental health in chronic care in general practice: a feasibility study of the Healthy Mind intervention. doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2023.2289525
Rasch analysis of the structural validity of the Anxiety Symptom Scale in the Lolland-Falster Health study. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.006
Schizophrenia and attendance in primary healthcare: a population-based matched cohort study. doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2019.1639927.
The dimensionality of the Perceived Stress Scale: the presence of opposing items is a source of measurement error. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.109

Contact

Kaj Sparle Christensen

Professor

M kasc@ph.au.dk
H 1260
P +4522174325

Researchers

Projects

Diagnosing mental disorders in general practice (Kaj Sparle Christensen)
Grief trajectories and the use of health services among bereaved relatives (Mette Kjærgaard Nielsen)
Mental health in patients with type 2 diabetes in general practice (Line Thordahl Jakobsen)
Mental well-being in patients with chronic disease (Anne Søjbjerg, Stinne Eika Rasmussen)
Psychometric tools in general practice (Henrik Schou Pedersen)

Revised 28.06.2024

Lone Niedziella