Validation of Distress Thermometer with People with Parkinson’s
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Validation of the Distress Thermometer with People with Parkinson’s Disease
IRAS ID
262666
Contact name
Breda Cullen
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Glasgow
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 6 days
Research summary
The Distress Thermometer (DT) is a self-report scale which ranges from 0-10 with 10 indicating severe level of distress (Roth et al., 1998). It was originally developed to detect distress in cancer patients but has since been applied to various populations. Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) is a progressive neurological condition that causes a variety of motor symptoms (such as tremor and rigidity) and non-motor symptoms including cognitive and mood disorders and sleep disturbances. To date, no studies have assessed the success of the DT at detecting distress in this population. \nThis study aims to determine if the DT is a valid and reliable measure of distress in people with IPD. Key research questions include: (i) How strong is the relationship between DT scores and scores on another mood questionnaire?; (ii) What is the best cut-off score on the DT to detect distress?; (iii) Is the DT score stable when repeated before and after a medical appointment?\nParticipants will be people who have a diagnosis of IPD and no other neurological condition and who attend the Movement Disorder Clinic in NHS Ayrshire and Arran. All patients are already asked to complete the DT before their clinic appointment, as part of routine care. Clinic staff will identify potential participants in advance, who will then be sent an information sheet outlining the details of the study and what is involved. At the clinic appointment, the medical professional will ask the person if they wish to take part in the study. If they do, the primary researcher will go through the information sheet with the person again and answer any questions they have about the study. A consent form will then be signed by both the researcher and participant. The DT will be administered again, along with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). \n
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
19/NS/0112
Date of REC Opinion
2 Jul 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion