Comparing the use of the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory for screening depression in patients with chronic pain

Chang Gung Med J. 2008 Jul-Aug;31(4):369-77.

Abstract

Background: Studies have shown that the validity of self-reported depression questionnaires may be influenced by somatic symptoms such as chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of two self-reported questionnaires, the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), for screening depression in patients with chronic pain.

Methods: One hundred patients with chronic pain were enrolled and assessed using the TDQ, BDI, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. Seventy-three of them were diagnosed with depressive disorders. Conventional validity indices of the TDQ and BDI were examined and compared.

Results: Both the TDQ and BDI had satisfactory sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Our results showed a trend that the validity of the TDQ was better than that of the BDI, and the validity of the cognitive/affective components of the TDQ was significantly better than that of the BDI.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the TDQ is superior to the BDI in detecting depression in patients with chronic pain in Taiwan.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cognition
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Validation Studies as Topic