Psychiatric services : a journal of the American Psychiatric Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Advantages of using estimated depression-free days for evaluating treatment efficacy.
Several common methods for measuring treatment response present a snapshot of depression symptoms. The construct of estimated depression-free days (DFDs) simultaneously captures treatment outcome and estimates the patient's experience of depression over time. The study compared this measure with traditional measures used in depression treatment research. ⋯ The DFD is a valid measure for estimating treatment outcomes that reflects the course of symptom change over time. When multiple assessments were conducted between the pre- and posttest periods, DFDs incorporated additional data yet remained easily interpreted. The DFD should be considered for reporting outcomes in depression research.