Comparison of Adolescent Depression Screening Using Orally Administered Versus Written Self-Report Scores.

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Mental Health Screening
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Adolescent depression is a significant public health concern.
• Accurate screening is crucial for early intervention in outpatient settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare depression screening scores between oral administration and written self-report in adolescents.
• To identify factors associated with discrepancies in screening scores.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 4075 well-child check visits for adolescents (ages 12-18).
• Comparison of depression screening outcomes from oral (staff-administered) and written (patient self-report) methods.
• Logistic regression to analyze score discrepancies.

Main Results:

• Written self-report showed higher depression scores in 22.6% of visits compared to oral administration (1.5%).
• Positive depression screens were more frequent with written self-report (6.8%) versus oral (2.0%).
• Score differences were associated with older age, female gender, Hispanic ethnicity, and public insurance.

Conclusions:

• Significant score differences exist between oral and written adolescent depression screening methods.
• Written self-report may lead to higher depression scores, potentially indicating a need for further investigation or modified protocols.