University of Sussex
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

The depression impairment scale for parents (DISP): a new scale for the measurement of impairment in depressed parents

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 21:43 authored by Katie Lewis, Kit Elam, Ruth Sellers, Kimberly Rhoades, Rhys Bevan Jones, Ajay Thapar, Frances Rice, Stephan Collishaw, Gordon Harold, Anita Thapar
Children of depressed parents are at increased risk of developing mood disorders but mechanisms of intrafamilial transmission are currently unclear. One rarely investigated area is the impact of depression on a parent's everyday functioning. Currently there are no validated assessments of depression-specific parental impairment. The creation of such a measure would complement depression symptom counts, providing a more comprehensive account of the parent's depression. We therefore aimed to develop a valid and reliable measure of impairment specifically associated with parental depression. In a longitudinal study of parents with recurrent unipolar depression and their offspring, we collected data from 337 parents. These participants completed the Depression Impairment Scale for Parents (DISP), a questionnaire assessing depression-associated impairment in multiple domains of functioning. Factor analysis revealed that this measure consisted of two factors - impairment in routine tasks/activities and impairment in family functioning - that together accounted for 51.04% of variance. The scale evidenced good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.82). The DISP also displayed good construct and criterion validity as evidenced by significant associations with established measures of depression severity and global impairment. These results demonstrate that the DISP is a valid and reliable measure of depression-associated impairment in parents. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Psychiatry Research

ISSN

01651781

Publisher

Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Issue

3

Volume

210

Page range

1184-1190

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2016-10-25

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2019-07-02

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC