Method of detecting depression

• US 5,882,203 A
• Filed: 05/31/1995
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christina Barrett Barrick, Elsa I. Correa
• Original Assignee: Christina Barrett Barrick, Elsa I. Correa
• Inventors: Correa, Elsa I., Barrick, Christina Barrett
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rovnak, John Edmund
• Application Number:
  US08/456,031
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 434/236-238, 434/322-323, 434/363
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of detecting depression and its severity. A series of statements formulated to detect the presence and severity of depression are presented to the subject in a multiple item visual analog format. The subject'"'"'s answers are given a numerical value. The total score is then normatively ranked to determine the presence and severity of the depression.

Claims

1. A method of detecting depression in a subject, comprising the steps of:

obtaining information characterizing the subject'"'"'s color perception and subjecting the information to psychological interpretation;

wherein the information is obtained by;

providing the subject with a multiple-item scale containing a plurality of statements eliciting the subject'"'"'s color perception and a plurality of statements eliciting other symptoms of depression;

providing the subject with a visual analog scale with diametrically opposed responses to each statement on opposite ends of the scale for each item;

prompting the subject to mark his or her level of agreement between the diametrically opposed responses;

assigning a numerical partial score to each of the selections made by the subject;

tabulating the subject'"'"'s total score from numeral values assigned to each selection; and

determining the degree of depression from the subject'"'"'s total score based upon normative scoring.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the visual analog scale is coded so as to conceal from the subject the numerical value attached to the response.

3. A computer for assessing depression in a subject, comprising:

a central processing unit;

memory means for storing;

instructions that control the central processing unit, questions or statements designed to elicit information as to the subject'"'"'s color perception, and response options to each of the questions or statements;

display means, connected to the central processing unit for displaying the questions or statements and the response options to the subject;

entry means, connected to the central processing unit, for enabling the subject to select a response associated with each of the questions or statements;

storage means, connected to the central processing unit, for recording the subject'"'"'s response to each question or statement; and

analysis means, connected to the central processing unit, for analyzing the subject'"'"'s responses.

4. A computer as in claim 3, further comprising report generation means for generating a report of the analysis means relating to the subject'"'"'s responses.