Structured diagnostic assessment measures – mental health and substance use
This page contains information about two diagnostic assessment measures used for both mental health and substance use.
Compositive International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI)
About: The CIDI was developed by the WHO in 1990. It is a fully structured diagnostic assessment measure.
Original intended use: Epidemiological studies, as well as clinical and research settings.
What it measures: Mental health symptoms and problematic substance use, which can be used to determine who would meet diagnostic criteria in the past month, past year, and lifetime.
Who it’s for: Adults (15+) in the general population.
Number of questions: 276.
Example of question: In your lifetime, have you ever had 2 weeks or longer when you lost interest in most things like work, hobbies, and other things you usually enjoyed?
Response type: Mostly yes/no, some questions related to frequency or impact are rated on a scale.
Administration: Administered by clinicians or a trained interviewer. Takes a minimum of 60 minutes but may take longer if people have a diverse range of experiences.
Used in large general population studies in Aotearoa New Zealand? Yes, used in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey.
Versions: The current version in common use is CIDI 3.0. It is periodically updated to reflect changing diagnostic criteria.
Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI)
About: The MINI was developed to fill a need for a short but accurate diagnostic interview.
Original intended use: Clinical research and epidemiological studies.
What it measures: Mental health symptoms and problematic substance use, which can be used to determine who would meet diagnostic criteria currently, in the past 2 weeks, or in their lifetime.
Who it’s for: Adults in the general population.
Number of questions: 130 questions over 17 modules.
Example of question: Have you on more than one occasion, had spells or attacks when you suddenly felt anxious, frightened, uncomfortable or uneasy, even in situations where most people would not feel that way?
Response type: Yes/no.
Administration: Administered by any health practitioner or a trained interviewer. Takes about 15 to 30 minutes.
Used in large general population studies in Aotearoa New Zealand? No.
Versions: Many versions are available depending on the setting. These are periodically updated to reflect changes in diagnostic criteria. The ‘Standard MINI’ is the main full version. A modified version, the modified MINI screen (MMS), is often used in addiction settings.
