Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders

BackgroundThe Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12-item version (WHODAS 2.0), and Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) are commonly used disability measures in patients with depression and anxiety disorders. The curre...

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Main Authors: Edimansyah Abdin, Vanessa Seet, Anitha Jeyagurunathan, Sing Chik Tan, Muhammad Iskandar Shah Mohmad Khalid, Yee Ming Mok, Swapna Kamal Verma, Mythily Subramaniam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fresc.2025.1556390/full
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author Edimansyah Abdin
Vanessa Seet
Anitha Jeyagurunathan
Sing Chik Tan
Muhammad Iskandar Shah Mohmad Khalid
Yee Ming Mok
Swapna Kamal Verma
Mythily Subramaniam
author_facet Edimansyah Abdin
Vanessa Seet
Anitha Jeyagurunathan
Sing Chik Tan
Muhammad Iskandar Shah Mohmad Khalid
Yee Ming Mok
Swapna Kamal Verma
Mythily Subramaniam
author_sort Edimansyah Abdin
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThe Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12-item version (WHODAS 2.0), and Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) are commonly used disability measures in patients with depression and anxiety disorders. The current study aimed to compare the responsiveness of these three disability measures and establish their minimal important differences (MID) in the same population.MethodsA total of 308 patients (M = 36.1, SD = 12.7) who were recruited from outpatient clinics and completed all measures at the two assessment points were included in the current study. The MID was estimated using a triangulation approach while the internal and external responsiveness was evaluated using standardized response mean and receiver operating characteristic curves, respectively.ResultsThe best MID estimates for the WHODAS, SDS, and SOFAS were three, four, and six points, respectively. The internal responsiveness analysis showed that all three disability measures were well responsive in patients with improved or stable Patient Health Questionnaire-8 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scores at the 6-month follow-up. Meanwhile, the external responsiveness analysis demonstrated that all three disability measures showed adequate responsiveness to improvement, with AUC values of at least 0.7. However, when improvement criteria incorporated MID, only WHODAS was found to be adequately responsive.ConclusionThe results of this study will be a helpful guide for clinicians to track and detect meaningful improvements in patient functioning, ensuring continued high-quality clinical care and management.
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spelling doaj-art-805f669c7ba9428a8c4fe6c0be4998e62025-08-20T02:28:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences2673-68612025-04-01610.3389/fresc.2025.15563901556390Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disordersEdimansyah Abdin0Vanessa Seet1Anitha Jeyagurunathan2Sing Chik Tan3Muhammad Iskandar Shah Mohmad Khalid4Yee Ming Mok5Swapna Kamal Verma6Mythily Subramaniam7Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeDepartment of Mood and Anxiety, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeDepartment of Psychosis, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeBackgroundThe Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12-item version (WHODAS 2.0), and Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) are commonly used disability measures in patients with depression and anxiety disorders. The current study aimed to compare the responsiveness of these three disability measures and establish their minimal important differences (MID) in the same population.MethodsA total of 308 patients (M = 36.1, SD = 12.7) who were recruited from outpatient clinics and completed all measures at the two assessment points were included in the current study. The MID was estimated using a triangulation approach while the internal and external responsiveness was evaluated using standardized response mean and receiver operating characteristic curves, respectively.ResultsThe best MID estimates for the WHODAS, SDS, and SOFAS were three, four, and six points, respectively. The internal responsiveness analysis showed that all three disability measures were well responsive in patients with improved or stable Patient Health Questionnaire-8 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scores at the 6-month follow-up. Meanwhile, the external responsiveness analysis demonstrated that all three disability measures showed adequate responsiveness to improvement, with AUC values of at least 0.7. However, when improvement criteria incorporated MID, only WHODAS was found to be adequately responsive.ConclusionThe results of this study will be a helpful guide for clinicians to track and detect meaningful improvements in patient functioning, ensuring continued high-quality clinical care and management.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fresc.2025.1556390/fullWHODASSOFASSDSresponsivenessminimal important differences (MID)depression
spellingShingle Edimansyah Abdin
Vanessa Seet
Anitha Jeyagurunathan
Sing Chik Tan
Muhammad Iskandar Shah Mohmad Khalid
Yee Ming Mok
Swapna Kamal Verma
Mythily Subramaniam
Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders
Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences
WHODAS
SOFAS
SDS
responsiveness
minimal important differences (MID)
depression
title Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders
title_full Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders
title_fullStr Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders
title_full_unstemmed Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders
title_short Responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders
title_sort responsiveness and minimal important differences of common disability measures in people with depression and anxiety disorders
topic WHODAS
SOFAS
SDS
responsiveness
minimal important differences (MID)
depression
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fresc.2025.1556390/full
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