Differential Item Functioning in Mood and Anxiety Disorder Screening Questions Across Demographic Subgroups

This study analyzed screening questions from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview in 15,893 Australian survey respondents to assess whether the accuracy of mood and anxiety disorder screening varies by sex, age, employment, location, and substance use. While some differential item functioning was identified primarily by age and sex, the overall impact on screening accuracy for mood and anxiety disorders was minimal.