Minimally important change on the Columbia Impairment Scale and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in youths seeking mental healthcare.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Evidence-based mental health requires patient-relevant outcome data, but many indicators lack clinical meaning and fail to consider youth perceptions. The minimally important change (MIC) indicator designates change as meaningful to patients, yet is rarely reported in youth mental health trials.

Objective

This study aimed to establish MIC thresholds for two patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), using different estimation methods.

Methods

A sample of 247 youths (14-17 years) completed the CIS and SDQ at baseline and at 6 months in a youth mental health and substance use trial. At 6 months, youths also reported perceived change. Three anchor-based (mean change, re

SUBMITTER: Krause KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11758695 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature