The following is a summary of “Reliability and validity of the patient health questionnaire-4 scale and its subscales of depression and anxiety among US adults based on nativity,” published in the March 2024 issue of Psychiatry by Adzrago et al.
Anxiety and depression are rising in the general population; therefore, screening becomes very crucial in effective treatment.
Researchers conducted a survey to understand the reliability and validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), a four-item tool for measuring anxiety/depression and its subscales (PHQ-2 and GAD-2), as a screening instrument for the general US adult population and residents.
They surveyed 5,140 grown-ups between May 13, 2021, and Jan 9, 2022. The PHQ- 4’s validity, community, trustability, and construct validity were estimated via conformational factor analysis( CFA) and Multiple-group conformational factor analysis( MCFA), alongside sociodemographic characteristics and UCLA loneliness scale associations.
The results showed high internal consistencies for the PHQ-4 scale (α=0.92) and its subscales of PHQ-2 (α=0.86) and GAD-2 (α=0.90). CFA supported PHQ-4’s two-factor structure (anxiety, depression) with a strong correlation (r=0.92). MCFA showed measurement invariance across nativity groups, better fit for foreign-born. PHQ-4 and subscales significantly associated with socio-demographics, UCLA Loneliness scale (all P<0.001).
Investigators concluded PHQ-4’s reliability and validity for screening anxiety and depression in the US population, particularly valuable for foreign-born individuals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-024-05665-8