Biomaterial Database

Methodological problems in polydiagnostic research. 1986

M Philipp, and W Maier

The growing application of the polydiagnostic approach makes it necessary to examine the methodological problems associated with the simultaneous assessment of multiple competing diagnoses. This paper contrasts the method of nonstandardized consecutive judgement of nonintegrated criteria lists with the method of a structured polydiagnostic interview with integrated criteria lists. The comparison of two polydiagnostic studies using both methods of assessment confirms that the unstructured use of nonintegrated and consecutively judged criteria lists is biased by a halo effect. This halo effect leads to a reduction of differences between the classifications of competing operational diagnoses and influences the type of patient distribution along the diagnostic dimension. This finding is interpreted as an argument to switch over to integrated criteria lists applied on the basis of an unstructured clinical examination or a structured interview.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007406	Interview, Psychological	A directed conversation aimed at eliciting information for psychiatric diagnosis, evaluation, treatment planning, etc. The interview may be conducted by a social worker or psychologist.	Interview, Psychologic,Interviews, Psychological,Psychological Interview,Psychological Interviews,Interviews, Psychologic,Psychologic Interview,Psychologic Interviews
D008722	Methods	A series of steps taken in order to conduct research.	Techniques,Methodological Studies,Methodological Study,Procedures,Studies, Methodological,Study, Methodological,Method,Procedure,Technique
D011569	Psychiatric Status Rating Scales	Standardized procedures utilizing rating scales or interview schedules carried out by health personnel for evaluating the degree of mental illness.	Factor Construct Rating Scales (FCRS),Katz Adjustment Scales,Lorr's Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Rating Scale,Wittenborn Scales,Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale,Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001523	Mental Disorders	Psychiatric illness or diseases manifested by breakdowns in the adaptational process expressed primarily as abnormalities of thought, feeling, and behavior producing either distress or impairment of function.	Mental Illness,Psychiatric Diseases,Psychiatric Disorders,Psychiatric Illness,Behavior Disorders,Diagnosis, Psychiatric,Mental Disorders, Severe,Psychiatric Diagnosis,Illness, Mental,Mental Disorder,Mental Disorder, Severe,Mental Illnesses,Psychiatric Disease,Psychiatric Disorder,Psychiatric Illnesses,Severe Mental Disorder,Severe Mental Disorders