Description of the Questionnaire

The Depression in the Medically Ill Questionnaire (DMI-10 and DMI-18) is a self-report tool designed to assess cognitive symptoms of depression in medically ill patients. The DMI-10 consists of 10 questions, while the DMI-18 consists of 18 questions. Each question is answered on a four-point scale, where 0 means not at all true, 1 slightly true, 2 moderately true, and 3 very true.

Data Analysis and Use

Scores are summed to provide a total score, ranging from 0–30 for the DMI-10 and 0–54 for the DMI-18. Higher scores correspond to a greater degree of depressive symptoms. The data can be used for preliminary depression screening in medical populations, for monitoring symptom severity over time, as well as for research purposes, such as investigating correlations with other clinical indicators.

Aim

The aim of the tool is the early detection of depressive symptoms in patients with medical conditions, where the diagnosis of depression may be more difficult due to overlapping somatic symptoms.

Calibration

There is no absolute diagnostic cut-off; however, higher scores have been shown to be associated with an increased likelihood of clinical depression. Interpretation should always be performed alongside a clinical evaluation. In research protocols, scores can be compared with population averages or with other psychometric scales.

References

Parker G., Hilton T., Hadzi-Pavlovic D., Bains J. (2001). Screening for depression in the medically ill: the suggested utility of a cognitive-based approach. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 35:474-480.
Parker G., Hilton T., Bains J., Hadzi-Pavlovic D. (2001). Cognitive-based measures screening for depression in the medically ill: the DMI-10 and DMI-18. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 105(6):419-426.
Parker G., Hilton T., Hadzi-Pavlovic D., Irvine P. (2003). Clinical and personality correlates of a new measure of depression: a general practice study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 37(1):104-109.
Parker G., Gladstone G. (2004). Capacity of the DMI-10 depression in the medically ill screening measure to detect depression ‘caseness’ in psychiatric out-patients. Psychiatry Research, 127:283-287.
World Health Organization (WHO). (1997). Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1 (CIDI) Interview Manual.