TY - JOUR
T1 - Using the 11-item version of the RCADS to identify anxiety and depressive disorders in adolescents
AU - Radez, Jerica
AU - Waite, Polly
AU - Chorpita, Bruce
AU - Creswell, Cathy
AU - Orchard, Faith
AU - Percy, Ray
AU - Spence, Susan H.
AU - Reardon, Tessa
N1 - Funding Information: JR was funded by the University of Reading through an Anniversary PhD Scholarship. PW is supported by an NIHR Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF-2016–09-092). CC and TR were supported by an NIHR Research Professorship to CC (RP_2014-04–018). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.
PY - 2021/9
Y1 - 2021/9
N2 - The purpose of this study was to identify items from the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale – RCADS-C/P that provided a brief, reliable and valid screen for anxiety and/or depressive disorders in adolescents. In addition, we examined whether adding items assessing suicidal ideation (Moods and Feelings Questionnaire – MFQ- C/P) and symptom impact and duration (items adapted from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire – SDQ) improved the identification of adolescents with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. We compared two samples of adolescents and their parents – a community sample, recruited through secondary schools in England (n = 214) and a clinic-referred sample, who met diagnostic criteria for anxiety and/or depressive disorder and were recruited through a university-based research clinic (n = 246). Participants completed the RCADS-C/P with additional symptom impact and duration items, and the MFQ-C/P. Using ROC curve analyses, we identified a set of 11 RCADS-C/P items (6 addressing anxiety and 5 depression symptoms) for adolescent- and parent-report. This set of 11 symptom items achieved sensitivity/specificity values >.75, which were comparable to corresponding values for the RCADS-47-C/P. Combining adolescent and parent-report improved the identification of anxiety/depression in adolescents compared to using adolescent-report alone. Finally, adding two symptom impact items further improved the sensitivity/specificity of the 11 symptom items, whereas adding suicidal ideation items did not. The 11 RCADS items accurately discriminated between the community and clinic-referred sample with anxiety and/or depressive disorders and have the potential to quickly and accurately identify adolescents with these disorders in community settings.
AB - The purpose of this study was to identify items from the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale – RCADS-C/P that provided a brief, reliable and valid screen for anxiety and/or depressive disorders in adolescents. In addition, we examined whether adding items assessing suicidal ideation (Moods and Feelings Questionnaire – MFQ- C/P) and symptom impact and duration (items adapted from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire – SDQ) improved the identification of adolescents with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. We compared two samples of adolescents and their parents – a community sample, recruited through secondary schools in England (n = 214) and a clinic-referred sample, who met diagnostic criteria for anxiety and/or depressive disorder and were recruited through a university-based research clinic (n = 246). Participants completed the RCADS-C/P with additional symptom impact and duration items, and the MFQ-C/P. Using ROC curve analyses, we identified a set of 11 RCADS-C/P items (6 addressing anxiety and 5 depression symptoms) for adolescent- and parent-report. This set of 11 symptom items achieved sensitivity/specificity values >.75, which were comparable to corresponding values for the RCADS-47-C/P. Combining adolescent and parent-report improved the identification of anxiety/depression in adolescents compared to using adolescent-report alone. Finally, adding two symptom impact items further improved the sensitivity/specificity of the 11 symptom items, whereas adding suicidal ideation items did not. The 11 RCADS items accurately discriminated between the community and clinic-referred sample with anxiety and/or depressive disorders and have the potential to quickly and accurately identify adolescents with these disorders in community settings.
KW - Adolescents
KW - Anxiety
KW - Depression
KW - Questionnaire development
KW - Screening
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103595808&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10802-021-00817-w
DO - 10.1007/s10802-021-00817-w
M3 - Article
C2 - 33792821
AN - SCOPUS:85103595808
SN - 2730-7166
VL - 49
SP - 1241
EP - 1257
JO - Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
JF - Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
IS - 9
ER -