e-HCL-32: a useful, valid and user friendly tool in the screening of bipolar II disorder

Abstract Background and objectives Bipolar type II (BDII) is a frequent disorder with high morbidity and mortality, characterized by depressive and hypomanic episodes. Early diagnosis can be effective in improving long-term prognosis. However, diagnosing BDII is challenging due to the difficulty in detecting past hypomanic episodes. The HCL-32 is a widely used and reliable screening instrument for the detection of past hypomanic episodes. Making this tool available to more patients could help diagnose and treat undetected cases of BDII earlier. New technologies such as the Internet have been previously used for this purpose with favorable outcomes. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to evaluate the acceptability, validity, reliability and equivalence of an online version of this questionnaire. Methods From May 2012 to March 2013, 52 participants attending an outpatient mental health clinic completed a paper version of the HCL-32 (HCL-32) and its online version (e-HCL-32) within two weeks. After its completion, they were asked to answer a brief satisfaction survey. Results No differences were found (HCL-32 mean total score = 17.73 (SD = 7.37), e-HCL-32 mean total score = 18.28 (SD = 7.09). T = −1.720, p = 0.092, 95% CI = −1.21 to 0.09) between the results of the paper and pencil HCL-32 compared to its online version (e-HCL-32). The psychometric properties of the online version of the hypomania checklist (e-HCL-32) were good and comparable to the paper and pencil version. 80% of participants found online questionnaires to be easier to answer and more user-friendly. Conclusion The results of this study support the use of an online screening tool for the detection of previous hypomanic episodes (necessary for BDII diagnosis) as it showed to have a similar validity and reliability to the traditional paper and pencil method.