Examination of the known-groups validity of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale.

We examined the known-groups validity of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) by comparing the scores of patients with social anxiety disorder (n=46), generalized anxiety disorder plus an additional diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (n=15), generalized anxiety disorder without social anxiety disorder (n=12), and nonanxious controls (n=34). The LSAS total score discriminated significantly among all pairs of groups. Similar analyses were conducted on the original LSAS subscales and additional subscales derived from the factor-analytic work of Safren et al. [1999]. Original subscales showed a pattern substantially similar to that of the total score, but subscale intercorrelations and total score-subscale correlations were extremely high, suggesting that these subscales do not provide much unique information beyond that provided by the total score. Factor-analytically derived subscales were less highly correlated with each other or with the LSAS total score. Although the pattern of differences was more variable across subscales, the factor-analytically derived subscales, in conjunction with the total score, may provide more nonredundant information of clinical relevance than the original subscales. Limitations and future directions for research on the LSAS are discussed.

Heimberg RG ，Holaway RM 《DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY》

Screening for depression and anxiety disorders in primary care patients.

Mood and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in primary health care. In this study we assessed performance of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for screening of depression and anxiety disorders in a population of primary care patients. A total of 503 primary care patients consecutively admitted to the primary care medical center in Kaunas, Lithuania, completed the study. We found that the HADS subscale of depression (HADS-D) at a cutoff score of 6 or more showed the best performance screening for a major depressive episode diagnosed by means of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), with a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 69%, positive predictive value of 80%, negative predictive value of 92%, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.75. Performance of the HADS-D against MINI diagnosis of dysthymia was weak. The HADS subscale of anxiety (HADS-A) at a cutoff score of 9 or more showed the best performance screening for MINI diagnosis of overall anxiety disorders, with a sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 75%, positive predictive value of 53%, negative predictive value of 90%, and area under the ROC curve of 0.76. These results suggest that in primary care patients HADS is an adequate screening instrument for the MINI diagnoses of major depressive episode, but not for dysthymia at a cutoff score of 6, and for anxiety disorders at a cutoff score of 9.

Bunevicius A ，Peceliuniene J ，Mickuviene N ，Valius L ，Bunevicius R ... -  《DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY》

Screening for social anxiety disorder with the self-report version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale.

This study examined whether the self-report version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-SR) could accurately identify individuals with social anxiety disorder and individuals with the generalized subtype of social anxiety disorder. Furthermore, the study sought to determine the optimal cutoffs for the LSAS-SR for identifying patients with social anxiety disorder and its generalized subtype. Two hundred and ninety-one patients with clinician-assessed social anxiety disorder (240 with generalized social anxiety disorder) and 53 control participants who were free from current Axis-1 disorders completed the LSAS-SR. Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses revealed that the LSAS-SR performed well in identifying participants with social anxiety disorder and generalized social anxiety disorder. Consistent with Mennin et al.'s [2002: J Anxiety Disord 16:661-673] research on the clinician-administered version of the LSAS, cutoffs of 30 and 60 on the LSAS-SR provided the best balance of sensitivity and specificity for classifying participants with social anxiety and generalized social anxiety disorder, respectively. The LSAS-SR may be an accurate and cost-effective way to identify and subtype patients with social anxiety disorder, which could help increase the percentage of people who receive appropriate treatment for this debilitating disorder.

Rytwinski NK ，Fresco DM ，Heimberg RG ，Coles ME ，Liebowitz MR ，Cissell S ，Stein MB ，Hofmann SG ... -  《-》

Social anxiety symptoms across diagnoses among outpatients attending a tertiary care mood and anxiety disorders service.

Graystone HJ ，Garner MJ ，Baldwin DS 《-》

[Validation of the Spanish version of the Liebowitz social anxiety scale, social anxiety and distress scale and Sheehan disability inventory for the evaluation of social phobia].

Bobes J ，Badía X ，Luque A ，García M ，González MP ，Dal-Ré R ... -  《MEDICINA CLINICA》