Journal of affective disordersObservational Study
15 Oct 2024
Using the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) to differentiate between depression severity levels remains unexplored. We explored the discriminative validity of the MFQ to identify an optimal cut-off MFQ score to distinguish between subthreshold-to-mild and moderate-to-severe depression severity levels.
An observational cross-sectional design was used in a sample (N = 67) of help-seeking youth (ages 13 to 18, inclusive) experiencing depressive symptoms. The MFQ was administered verbatim to youth by a research analyst over the phone. Youth were then grouped into subthreshold-to-mild or moderate-to-severe depression severity categories based on scores received on the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Depression Rating Scale. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analyses were conducted, with area under the curve (AUC) and Youden Index (J) as primary indices. We hypothesized that the lower limit of the 95 % confidence interval for the area under the curve would be ≥0.70.
The primary analysis yielded an AUC of 0.85 (95 % CI: 0.763-0.947) and an optimal cut-off of ≥43 (J = 0.60, positive predictive value = 91.4 %, negative predictive value = 62.5 %, sensitivity = 72.7 %, specificity = 87.0 %).
Our study collected a small sample, and as such cannot identify how subgroup classification (e.g., based on race or gender) may moderate outcomes. Further, unknown measurement error of the predictor and reference variable measures can bias the estimates.
Our preliminary findings highlight the potential for the MFQ to support clinical decision-making relevant to adolescents experiencing varying severities of depressive symptoms in secondary care settings.
Declaration of competing interest Dr. Darren Courtney receives financial support from the Cundill Centre for Child and Youth Depression; the Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth and Family Mental Health; the University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Suneeta Monga receives financial support from CIHR and the Cundill Centre for Child and Youth Depression. She also receives royalties from Springer for the book “Assessing and Treating Anxiety Disorders in Young Children; She is also the holder of the TD Bank Financial Group Chair in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. All other authors have no financial interests to declare.
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