Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale

Abstract This Critical Synthesis Package contains: (1) a Critical Analysis of the psychometric properties and application to health sciences education for the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: and (2) a copy of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale instrument and scoring guide developed by Ro...

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Main Authors: Lori Welch, Michael Vitacco
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association of American Medical Colleges 2015-04-01
Series:MedEdPORTAL
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10072
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author Lori Welch
Michael Vitacco
author_facet Lori Welch
Michael Vitacco
author_sort Lori Welch
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This Critical Synthesis Package contains: (1) a Critical Analysis of the psychometric properties and application to health sciences education for the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: and (2) a copy of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale instrument and scoring guide developed by Ronald Kessler, PhD. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale is a brief measure that detects severity of symptoms that are closely associated with a variety of mental disorders. There are two versions, the K10 (10 items) and the K6 (6 items). Each has a self-report and interview format, and elevated scores indicate greater severity of distress. Some research suggests the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale yields a single factor of non-specific distress, while others suggest the presence of two or more factors. The single factor model has demonstrated acceptable fit for community samples, but a two factor model (with Depression and Anxiety forming distinct factors) appears more appropriate for clinical samples. Although the K10 has been used throughout the world with individuals from a variety of national and ethnic backgrounds in community settings, more investigation is needed into its use for clinical purposes with culturally diverse populations. The K10 has been used as a measure of severity of stress with patients in primary care settings, medical students, and physicians. Some uses in medical education include teaching health care providers the importance of assessing patients for stress and mental health concerns, empowering medical care providers to make recommendations and access community resources on behalf of patients with psychological distress, and enhancing medical education through programmatic interventions to reduce impaired performance and burnout.
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spelling doaj.art-8d88ac52e4f14e068d1ec7d30d0ce6682022-12-22T04:03:27ZengAssociation of American Medical CollegesMedEdPORTAL2374-82652015-04-011110.15766/mep_2374-8265.10072Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress ScaleLori Welch0Michael Vitacco11 Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University2 Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents UniversityAbstract This Critical Synthesis Package contains: (1) a Critical Analysis of the psychometric properties and application to health sciences education for the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: and (2) a copy of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale instrument and scoring guide developed by Ronald Kessler, PhD. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale is a brief measure that detects severity of symptoms that are closely associated with a variety of mental disorders. There are two versions, the K10 (10 items) and the K6 (6 items). Each has a self-report and interview format, and elevated scores indicate greater severity of distress. Some research suggests the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale yields a single factor of non-specific distress, while others suggest the presence of two or more factors. The single factor model has demonstrated acceptable fit for community samples, but a two factor model (with Depression and Anxiety forming distinct factors) appears more appropriate for clinical samples. Although the K10 has been used throughout the world with individuals from a variety of national and ethnic backgrounds in community settings, more investigation is needed into its use for clinical purposes with culturally diverse populations. The K10 has been used as a measure of severity of stress with patients in primary care settings, medical students, and physicians. Some uses in medical education include teaching health care providers the importance of assessing patients for stress and mental health concerns, empowering medical care providers to make recommendations and access community resources on behalf of patients with psychological distress, and enhancing medical education through programmatic interventions to reduce impaired performance and burnout.http://www.mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10072DREAMDirectory and Repository of Educational Assessment MeasuresKessler Psychological Distress ScaleK10K6
spellingShingle Lori Welch
Michael Vitacco
Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
MedEdPORTAL
DREAM
Directory and Repository of Educational Assessment Measures
Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
K10
K6
title Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
title_full Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
title_fullStr Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
title_full_unstemmed Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
title_short Critical Synthesis Package: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
title_sort critical synthesis package kessler psychological distress scale
topic DREAM
Directory and Repository of Educational Assessment Measures
Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
K10
K6
url http://www.mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10072
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