Brief Screening for Family Psychiatric History: the Family History Screen

The Family History Screen collects information on 15 psychiatric disorders & suicidal behaviour in informants & their first-degree relatives. Data on the validity against best-estimate diagnosis based on independent & blind direct interviews on 289 probands & 305 relatives & test-retest reliability across 15 months in 417 subjects are presented. The validity of the Family History Screen was best demonstrated for major depression, anxiety disorders, substance dependence, & suicide attempts. It is not a substitute for more lengthy family history if more detail on diagnosis is required. (39 refs.)