Development and validation of a method to screen for co-morbid depression by non-behavioral health practitioners treating musculoskeletal pain.

The sample was a convenience sample from three stand-alone outpatient physical therapy clinics in Southern California, so patients who seek this care may differ from patients in hospital, surgical, or multidisciplinary settings. The study is observational, so it cannot show that depression causes worse pain, lower function, or poor return to work. The 9/22 cut-point was likely too high because no false positives were identified, meaning some people with depressive symptoms may have been below the trigger. The screening information was not formally integrated into the physical therapy plan of care, other than making staff more aware of motivation and catastrophizing. Follow-up timing varied from 32 to 260 days after the third visit, and work status came from telephone questions about working before and now.

The Vert Mooney Research Foundation funded the study and owns the Multidimensional Task Ability Profile. Leonard Matheson and Joe Verna benefit financially from MTAP sales and subscriptions, John Mayer received compensation for contributing, and Matheson, Mayer, and Verna are board members of the funding foundation.

Do not conclude that using this screen will improve return to work. The study did not test the screening process as an intervention; it reported links between scores and outcomes. The authors also say the score of 9 or higher was likely too high.