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Exhaustion, depression and hopelessness in cardiac patients: a unidimensional hierarchy of symptoms revealed by Mokken scaling

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Frank Doyle ,
Aleksandra Kowalczyk ,
Hannah McGee  and
Ronán M Conroy
Frank Doyle
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Division of Population Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
Aleksandra Kowalczyk
Affiliation:
Trinity College Dublin
Hannah McGee
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI
Ronán M Conroy*
Affiliation:
Epidemiology & Public Health Medicine, Division of Population Health Sciences, RCSI, Dublin 2, Ireland
*
*Correspondence Email: fdoyle4@rcsi.ie
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Abstract

Objectives: Depression and vital exhaustion are associated with poor cardiovascular prognosis, but there is substantial overlap between these constructs. Factor analytic studies have been inconclusive, and may not be the optimal analytic strategy to assess dimensionality. We assessed whether exhaustion and depression formed a single, hierarchical dimension using a form of nonparametric item response theory.

Methods: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (n = 430) completed questionnaires assessing depression and vital exhaustion. Mokken scaling was used to assess dimensionality.

Results: Mokken scaling formed a strong unidimensional scale, ordered in a hierarchy reflecting prevalence: fatigue (common), depression (less common) and hopelessness (rare).

Conclusions: Depressive symptoms form a clear hierarchy in cardiac patients, from fatigue to hopelessness. Vital exhaustion may be considered a less severe form of depression. Use of hierarchical scales may allow clinicians to better determine clinical significance and target interventions.

Keywords

DepressionMokken scalingCoronary artery diseaseItem response theoryFatigue
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , March 2011 , pp. 29 - 31
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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