Article2021

The temporal stability of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale

Francis Merson · Jill Maree Newby · Alice G. Shires · Michael Millard · Alison Mahoney

59 citations0/0 files storedAustralian Psychologist

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Psychometric Methodologies and Testing Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Mental Health Treatment and Access

Abstract

Objective: The ten-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was designed as a screening tool to identify mental illness in epidemiological surveys. In recent years, it has also been employed in treatment studies and clinical settings to measure changes in psychological distress. However, no study to date has validated this extended use of the K10 by examining its temporal stability. This was the aim of the current study.Method: The K10 was administered on two occasions to a treatment-seeking sample (n = 289) and a non-treatment seeking sample (n = 129). To investigate the K10’s temporal stability over a range of clinically relevant time periods, test-retest reliability estimates were computed for multiple time intervals from 1–2 weeks to 8–13 weeks in the treatment-seeking sample.Results: For the testing interval of 1–2 weeks, the K10 demonstrated sound test-retest reliability in the treatment-seeking sample (ICC = .89; r = .80) and in the non-treatment-seeking sample (ICC = .86; r = .76). Comparable estimates were observed for the longer testing intervals in the treatment-seeking sample (ICCs = .84–.90; rs = .72–.81).Conclusion: This study provides evidence demonstrating the temporal stability of the K10, and supports its continued implementation as an outcome measure in mental health research and treatment.Key PointsWhat is already known about this topic: The Kessler-10 (K10) is widely used measure of psychological distress.It is a well-validated screener for mental illness used in epidemiological surveys.Although the K10 was not designed for assessing psychotherapy outcomes, it is now routinely used in this way.What this topic adds: To support the use of the K10 in psychotherapy evaluation, its test re-test reliability needs to be examined.The K10 demonstrated temporal stability over a variety of clinically relevant time intervals in treatment and non-treatment seeking samples.Our data support the use of the K10 as a means of assessing changes in psychological distress over time.

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References

2001The PHQ-9 2006A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2016A Guideline of Selecting and Reporting Intraclass Correlation Coefficients for Reliability Research 2002Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress 1989Health Measurement Scales: A Practical Guide to Their Development and Use 2009An Ultra-Brief Screening Scale for Anxiety and Depression: The PHQ-4 2008Health Measurement Scales 2001Interpreting scores on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10)

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