Psychometric properties of the Gotland Scale for Depression in Italian psychiatric inpatients and its utility in the prediction of suicide risk

BackgroundRutz has postulated a “male depressive syndrome” measured by the Gotland Scale of Male Depression (GSMD). The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the GSMD in a sample of male and female psychiatric inpatients.MethodsThe sample was composed of 326 Italian inpatients who completed the GSMD and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).ResultsOur results indicated that all the items of the GSMD, except item #13, were highly interrelated, and that the first 12 items of the GSMD may be considered a homogeneous measure of depression. Furthermore, GSMD scores did not differ by sex. The GSMD had good convergent validity with the BHS and was useful in categorizing individuals admitted for a suicide attempt committed in the last 48 h vs. those who had not.LimitationsThe study was retrospective in nature and did not assess the ability of the GSMD for predicting future suicidal behavior.ConclusionsThe GSMD may be considered to be a valid instrument for measuring non-typical (“suicidality-related”) symptoms of depression in both male and female patients.