Confounding Factors in the Measurement of Depression in HIV

Our study investigates the nature of elevated depression scores on the MMPI-168 in human-immunodeficiency-virus-(HIV-)infected individuals. Comparison of MMPI scales, factor scores, and individual depression item endorsement rates were made between three groups of homosexual/bisexual men: asymptomat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality assessment 1994-02, Vol.62 (1), p.68-83
Main Authors: Drebing, Charles E., Van Gorp, Wilfred G., Hinkin, Charles, Miller, Eric N., Satz, Paul, Kim, David S., Holston, Steve, D'Elia, Louis F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - diagnosis
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology
Adult
AIDS/HIV
Biological and medical sciences
Bisexuality
Comorbidity
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology)
Depression
Depressive Disorder - diagnosis
Depressive Disorder - epidemiology
HIV Seropositivity - diagnosis
HIV Seropositivity - epidemiology
Homosexuality
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Male
Measures
Medical sciences
MMPI - statistics & numerical data
Patients
Personality Assessment
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Techniques and methods
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Summary:Our study investigates the nature of elevated depression scores on the MMPI-168 in human-immunodeficiency-virus-(HIV-)infected individuals. Comparison of MMPI scales, factor scores, and individual depression item endorsement rates were made between three groups of homosexual/bisexual men: asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositives (n = 156), symptomatic HIV-1 seropositives (n = 156), and a comparison group of HIV-1 seronegatives (n = 117). Elevated scores were found on the MMPI depression scale for all three groups, with HIV infection and the presence of symptoms being associated with significant elevations in depression. Analyses of these elevated scores through the use of factor scores and individual item analyses strongly suggest that endorsement of items related to physical symptoms and neuropsychological complaints accounted for much of the difference in overall depression scores between samples. Implications are discussed for measurement and diagnosis of depression in HIV populations.
ISSN:0022-3891
1532-7752
DOI:10.1207/s15327752jpa6201_7