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The domain of life events: a comparison of two techniques of description

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Paul Bebbington ,
Christopher Tennant ,
Elizabeth Sturt  and
Jane Hurry
Paul Bebbington*
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Christopher Tennant
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Elizabeth Sturt
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Jane Hurry
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr P. Bebbington MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.
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Synopsis

This paper compares the coverage of potential life events by the inventory developed by Tennant & Andrews (1976) and the post hoc designation originated by Brown (1974). It was found that the rubric of the inventory failed to describe 5% of ‘marked’ events and 21% of ‘moderate’ events. The relative risk of minor psychiatric disorder in response to events was 3·1 for those defined by the Brown technique and 1·4 for those using the inventory. The results suggests that the post hoc designation is superior. This superiority must be weighed against its undoubted costliness.

Type
Brief Communication
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , February 1984 , pp. 219 - 222
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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