Most Commonly Assessed Mental Health Outcomes
Based on the evidence provided, anxiety and depression are the most commonly assessed mental health outcomes in studies examining psychological interventions and mental health surveillance (Answer: C). 1
Evidence from Multiple Guidelines and Studies
The pattern of anxiety and depression as primary outcomes is consistently documented across multiple high-quality guidelines:
In primary care anxiety intervention studies, 72.7% of interventions examined comorbid depressive symptoms alongside anxiety as outcomes, with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) being the most commonly used measure (appearing in 9 studies), followed by Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) 1
During the COVID-19 pandemic, systematic reviews identified psychological distress (encompassing anxiety, depression, and general distress) as the most widely assessed and discussed mental health outcomes, with validated screening tools like the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression being standard 1
In cancer survivor surveillance, 61 randomized controlled trials examining mental health outcomes predominantly focused on anxiety and/or depression, with 19 RCTs specifically assessing both conditions together using measures like HADS, BAI, and BDI 1
In functional neurological disorder studies, 28 RCTs included measures of psychological symptoms as primary or secondary outcomes, most commonly assessing depression and/or anxiety, with HADS appearing in 9 studies and Beck Depression Inventory in 7 studies 1
Why Other Options Are Less Common
The evidence clearly shows that while other mental health outcomes are assessed, they appear far less frequently:
- Insomnia is not mentioned as a primary outcome measure in any of the systematic reviews provided 1
- Nightmares do not appear as a measured outcome in the evidence 1
- Internet addiction is not referenced in any of the studies 1
- ADHD is not mentioned as an outcome measure in the provided evidence 1
Clinical Significance
The dominance of anxiety and depression as outcome measures reflects their high prevalence and clinical importance. Anxiety disorders affect 15-20% of primary care patients, and the combination of anxiety and depression represents the most common comorbid presentation requiring intervention 1. This consistent focus across multiple medical specialties and populations demonstrates that anxiety and depression are the foundational mental health outcomes that researchers and clinicians prioritize when evaluating treatment effectiveness 1.