Psychometric validation of the Montgomery–åsberg Depression Rating Scale – Youth (MADRS-Y) in a clinical sample

Figures & data

Table 1. Descriptive statistics for the montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale – Youth (MADRS-Y) questionnaire.

Items of MADRS-Y	M	SD	rit ^c	α-i
1.Sadness	1.94	1.67	.80	.89
2.Irritability	1.92	1.79	.61	.90
3.Anxiety	2.80	1.77	.70	.89
4.Decreased sleep	1.77	1.59	.54	.90
5.Increased sleep	1.30	1.67	.40	.91
6.Decreased appetite	1.38	1.65	.52	.90
7.Increased appetite	.94	1.55	.28	.91
8.Concentration	2.58	1.78	.72	.89
9.Starting to do things	2.83	1.67	.69	.89
10.Interest and engagement	1.71	1.57	.74	.89
11.Thoughts about yourself and your future	1.91	1.81	.75	.89
12.Life or death thoughts	1.63	1.78	.75	.89

Note. M: mean; SD: standard deviation; r_it ^c: corrected item-total correlation; α-i: cronbach’s alpha if the item is removed.

Table 2. Intercorrelations between montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale – Youth (MADRS-Y) items using Spearman’s rho.

Measure	1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.	8.	9.	10.	11.	12.
1.Sadness	—
2.Irritability	.55***	—
3.Anxiety	.71***	.47***	—
4.Decreased sleep	.45***	.36***	.42***	—
5.Increased sleep	.33***	.30***	.26***	.19***	—
6.Decreased appetite	.47***	.38***	.40***	.39***	.26***	—
7.Increased appetite	.25***	.21***	.18***	.25***	.25***	−.10*	—
8.Concentration	.55***	.53***	.57***	.46***	.35***	.38***	.22***	—
9.Starting to do things	.55***	.45***	.54***	.40***	.30***	.36***	.27***	.75***	—
10.Interest and engagement	.69***	.53***	.58***	.38***	.29***	.41***	.22***	.56***	.57***	—
11.Thoughts about yourself and your future	.68***	.45***	.61***	.44***	.32***	.41***	.22***	.55***	.55***	.66***	—
12.Life or death thoughts	.70***	.48***	.60***	.42***	.30***	.43***	.24***	.54***	.51***	.65***	.79***	—

Note. *p < .05. **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Figure 1. Single CFA model of MADRS-Y with standardized factor loadings. Note. CFA: Confirmatory factor analysis. Circle represent the latent factor and squares represent scale items.

Figure 2. Principal component analyses of MADRS-Y total scale and all validity measures. Note. MADRS-Y = Montgomery – Åsberg Depression Rating Scale – Youth [58]; MADRS-S = Montgomery – Åsberg Depression Rating Scale – Self-rated [52]; PROMIS Family = PROMIS Pediatric Short Form v.1.0—Family relationships 8a [4]; PROMIS Friends = PROMIS Pediatric Bank v2.0 – Peer relationships [17]; PROMIS Physical Activity = PROMIS Pediatric Bank v1.0—Physical activity [55,56].

Table 3. Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale – Youth (MADRS-Y) results for different diagnosis groups.

Primary Diagnosis ICD-category	n	Mdn (Q1-Q3)	M	SD
Depressive disorders	62	38 (28-45)	35.21	12.72
Anxiety disorders	37	21 (13-33)	23.57	14.04
Eating disorders	14	23 (15-32)	24.14	17.43
OCD	8	24 (16-32)	25.25	11.16
ADHD/ADD	73	12 (6-24)	15.40	12.77
Autism spectrum disorder	9	23 (10-33)	25.22	19.70
Other	11	27 (21.5-33.5)	30.45	12.18
Total	214	24 (21-34)	24.68	15.58

Note. Mdn: Median; M: mean; SD: standard deviation; OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder. The primary diagnosis was registered by a medical doctor or licensed psychologist within the range of 30 days before and after completing the MADRS-Y self-report, and was extracted from the medical record.

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Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, M.V, upon reasonable request.