Analysis of the performance of assessment scales with multi-criteria decision-making techniques

The correct transmission of the information flow between the patient and the doctor by the assessment scales plays an important role in the correct determination of the treatment approach to be applied. In this study, depression assessment scales were evaluated using a hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model. In the first part of the study, the criteria that should be in the assessment scale were determined by a questionnaire study applied to doctors. In the second part, criteria weights were calculated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), and the assessment scales were evaluated from various aspects with the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment method (WASPAS). The results show that the most important criteria in a scale are the ability to predict the diagnosis, the follow-up of the recovery process, the understanding of the questions, the ease of evaluation, and the ease of individual use. In addition, it has been observed that psychiatrists attach more importance to the follow-up of the recovery process and the ease of evaluation on a scale. When the findings are examined with sensitivity analysis, it shows that the Beck depression scale is the most appropriate scale in terms of the determined criteria.