University of Utah School of Medicine Reports Findings in Developmental Disabilities (Developing and Implementing a Web-Based Branching Logic Survey to Support Psychiatric Crisis Evaluations of Individuals With Developmental Disabilities:...).

A report from the University of Utah School of Medicine discusses the development and implementation of a web-based survey to support psychiatric crisis evaluations of individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). The survey, called Sources of Distress, uses a branching logic format to screen for common psychiatric and medical conditions experienced by individuals with DD. The survey was reviewed by focus groups and clinical experts, and then implemented in clinical settings. The survey demonstrated good accuracy in screening for various psychiatric disorders, although better differentiation among mood disorders is needed. Further research is needed to investigate the survey's impact on the management of distress in individuals with DD. [Extracted from the article]