Cohort study, 2008
How can menstrual-related irritability be measured reliably?
Researchers developed two rating scales for measuring menstrual-related irritability. Both the 14-item self-report and 5-item observer scales showed strong reliability and consistency.
What they did
Researchers constructed self-rating and observer rating scales based on women's descriptions of irritability related to menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause. Items included annoyance, anger, tension, hostility, and sensitivity to noise and touch. They tested a 14-item self-report scale and 5-item observer scale for reliability in 36 women with mood disturbances.
What they found
The self-report scale had Cronbach's alpha=0.9257 with test-retest reliability of r=0.704 (n=29, p=0.01). The observer scale had Cronbach's alpha=0.7418 with perfect interrater reliability (tau=1.000, n=20, p=0.001).
What it means for you
The study created reliable tools for measuring menstrual-related irritability to help doctors evaluate this symptom more precisely. However, this is a tool development study with a small sample, not a treatment study, so it does not test whether treatments for irritability work.
36
women
0.9257
Cronbach's alpha for self-report scale
0.704
test-retest reliability
About the study
- Original title
- A new, female-specific irritability rating scale
- Authors
- Born L, Koren G, Lin E et al.
- Journal
- Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN
- Year
- 2008
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 36
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1139/jpn.0832
Topics
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