Stochastic Curtailment of Questionnaires for Three-Level Classification: Shortening the CES-D for Assessing Low, Moderate, and High Risk of Depression.

ABSTRACT: In clinical assessment, efficient screeners are needed to ensure low respondent burden. In this article, Stochastic Curtailment (SC), a method for efficient computerized testing for classification into two classes for observable outcomes, was extended to three classes. In a post hoc simulation study using the item scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) of a large sample, three versions of SC, SC via Empirical Proportions (SC-EP), SC via Simple Ordinal Regression (SC-SOR), and SC via Multiple Ordinal Regression (SC-MOR) were compared at both respondent burden and classification accuracy. All methods were applied under the regular item order of the CES-D and under an ordering that was optimal in terms of the predictive power of the items. Under the regular it

SUBMITTER: Smits N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5978527 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature