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The normalcy of self-proclaimed "normal volunteers"
U Halbreich1, Y Bakhai, K B Bacon
1Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, State University of New York, Buffalo 14215.
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|August 1, 1989
Summary
Many "healthy" volunteers have undiagnosed mental health conditions. Thorough screening is crucial for research participants to ensure accurate study outcomes and data integrity.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Participant selection for clinical research often relies on self-reported health status.
- The prevalence of undiagnosed mental health conditions in ostensibly healthy volunteers is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence of current and past mental disorders in a cohort of self-reported "healthy" volunteers.
- To determine the frequency of positive family histories of mental illness in this population.
Main Methods:
- Volunteers underwent initial brief structured interviews.
- Participants then completed detailed diagnostic interviews using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia.
- Diagnoses were established using the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC), including a Family History RDC.
Main Results:
- 16.5% of the 121 volunteers met criteria for current mental disorders.
- Among those without current diagnoses, 35.6% reported past mental illness, and 39.4% had a family history of mental illness.
Conclusions:
- Self-reported "healthy" status is insufficient for volunteer screening in research.
- Comprehensive psychiatric assessment is necessary to accurately characterize research participant populations.
- Undiagnosed mental health issues may confound research findings if not identified.