The NIMH diagnostic interview schedule modified to record current mental status

Abstract

The National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) was modified to record detailed information on current mental status in addition to the lifetime symptom history. Use of the modified DIS in a field survey indicates that information on current symptoms is required to distinguish persons who meet all DSM-III criteria for Major Depressive Episode at or around the time of interview from former cases who fail to meet all criteria at interview. Thus, the unmodified DIS may overestimate the 1-month period prevalence rates for Major Depressive Episode, by counting symptomatic former cases as having the disorder at or around the time of the interview. An analysis of symptom count data also suggests that the unmodified DIS count of lifetime depressive symptoms is not a good measure of current symptom status.