health
New study casts doubt on reliability of mental health diagnosis interviews
Diagnostic interviews seen as ‘gold standard’ vary in reliability from condition to condition, study says
TL;DR
- Diagnostic interviews for mental health conditions show variable reliability, according to a study in Jama Network Open.
- These interviews are widely viewed as the 'gold standard' but lack definitive validity and reliability.
- Reliability was generally better for substance use disorders, with opioid use disorder showing the highest.
- The study used Cohen's kappa coefficient to estimate interview reliability for different conditions.
- Critics noted a lack of information on specific reliable instruments and the lumping of structured and semi-structured interviews.
- A future approach may involve viewing symptoms on a spectrum rather than strict diagnostic categories.