--- title: Can the Sheehan Disability Scale measure whether treatments work? description: Yes. The scale was able to tell the difference between treatments that worked and treatments that didn't in clinical trials. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/assessing-treatment-effects-in-clinical-trials-with-the-discan-metric-of-the-2008/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Can the Sheehan Disability Scale measure whether treatments work? Non-randomised trial, 2008 # Can the Sheehan Disability Scale measure whether treatments work? Yes. The scale was able to tell the difference between treatments that worked and treatments that didn't in clinical trials. Strong study design Patients in clinical trials (37 studies) for anxiety, depression, or PMDD ## What they did Review of clinical trials using the Sheehan Disability Scale to measure functional disability in work, social, and family life. They searched PubMed from 1966 to March 2007 and included only double-blind controlled or large open-label trials treating anxiety, depression, or PMDD. ## What they found 37 studies met inclusion criteria. All treated the scale as numeric and analyzed mean change scores. The scale performed well at discriminating between active treatments and inactive treatments, showing it is sensitive to treatment effects. ## What it means for you The Sheehan Disability Scale is a useful tool for measuring whether psychiatric treatments improve functional problems at work and home. The review is limited to published trials in English and from relatively recent decades. 37 studies reviewed 1966-2007 publication date range searched ## About the study Original title Assessing treatment effects in clinical trials with the discan metric of the Sheehan Disability Scale Authors Sheehan KH, Sheehan DV Journal International clinical psychopharmacology Year 2008 Study design Non-randomised trial Participants 20 What was tested Various psychiatric treatments (measured by Sheehan Disability Scale) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/yic.0b013e3282f2b4d6](https://doi.org/10.1097/yic.0b013e3282f2b4d6) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Survey study, 2001 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how is it related to other psychiatric conditions? Study, 2026 Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition? Review, 2014 Are mental health problems linked to gynecological conditions like PMS and PMDD? Randomised trial, 2013 Does psychological education reduce PMS symptoms in teenagers? Cohort study, 2012 How quickly does fluoxetine start working for PMDD symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗