Psychotherapy and Counselling
Psychotherapy and Counselling
The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) is a screening tool that focuses on the recognition and prevalence of bipolar disorder signs. This is used in the evaluation of all the bipolar spectrum disorders (bipolar I, II and cyclothymia).
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition characterized by the alternation of periods of elation (manic episodes) with periods of depression and associated psychotic symptoms.
The MDQ consists of 15 questions divided in two parts. Part I contains 13 questions that refer to most common bipolar disorder symptoms, whilst part II questions refer to family history of mental disease, past personal diagnoses and to perceived disease severity.
This questionnaire is straightforward and takes about 5 minutes to complete. Reflect upon each question and try to give answers that are as accurate as possible.
The outcome of the MDQ screening method is classed as either positive or negative screen. Positive screening cases need to satisfy all three criteria:
Akiskal HS, Pinto O. The evolving bipolar spectrum: prototypes I, II, III, IV. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 1999; 22:517–524.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Hirschfeld, R. et al. Development and Validation of a Screening Instrument for Bipolar Spectrum Disorder: The Mood Disorder Questionnaire. American Journal of Psychiatry 157:11 (November 2000) 1873-1875
Lish JD, Dime-Meenan S, Whybrow PC, et al. The National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association (DMDA) survey of bipolar members. J Affect Disord. 1994; 31:281–294.
Robert M. A. Hirschfeld, M.D. The Mood Disorder Questionnaire: A Simple, Patient-Rated Screening Instrument for Bipolar Disorder. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2002; 4(1): 9–11.
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