Abstract

Introduction

Self-report questionnaires to screen for symptoms of common mental disorders (CMDs) are commonly used as inexpensive, easy-to-administer tools in research and clinical practice. However, their validity to detect the presence of any CMD across cultures and languages is unclear. Psychometrically sound and brief case-finding instruments are vital for the identification of individuals with mental health needs. With the increasing number of Arabic-speaking refugees in Europe, we aim to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Arabic-language screening instruments.

Objectives

The aim of this systematic review/meta-analysis is to synthesize the diagnostic accuracy of self-report questionnaires to detect depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Arabic-speaking populations.

Methods

Five databases were searched (inception-January 2021) (PROSPERO: CRD42018070645) for studies on the diagnostic accuracy of brief questionnaires in Arabic-speaking populations, with a clinical interview as reference standard. Data on sensitivity/specificity were extracted/calculated. Multi-threshold meta-analyses were performed (R diagmeta package). Study quality was assessed using QUADAS-2.

Results

We included 32 studies (N=4042 participants) reporting on questionnaires targeting depression/anxiety (14 questionnaires), distress (2 questionnaires), and PTSD (1 questionnaire). Optimal thresholds were identified for the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; cut-off 11, sensitivity 76.9%, specificity 85.1%), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety subscale (cut-off 7, sensitivity 81.9%, specificity 87.6%), depression subscale (cut-off 6, sensitivity 73.0%, specificity 88.6%), and Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20; cut-off 8, sensitivity 86.0%, specificity 83.9%).

Conclusions

We present optimal thresholds that can be used by clinicians and researchers for the EPDS, HADS and SRQ-20. More research on Arabic-language questionnaires, especially those targeting PTSD, is needed.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Details

Title
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of self-report screening instruments for common mental disorders in Arabic-speaking adults
Author
De Graaff, A 1 ; Cuijpers, P 1 ; Leeflang, M 2 ; Sferra, I 3 ; Uppendahl, J 1 ; Sijbrandij, M 1 ; De Vries, R 4 

 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Clinical, Neuro- And Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam, Netherlands 
 University of Amsterdam, Department Of Epidemiology And Data Science, Amsterdam, Netherlands 
 Sapienza University of Rome, Department Of Human Neurosciences, Rome, Italy 
 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Medical Library, Amsterdam, Netherlands 
Pages
S94-S95
Publication year
2022
Publication date
Jun 2022
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISSN
09249338
e-ISSN
17783585
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2708665194
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.