Participant recruitment is one of clinical behavioral health research’s most essential, sensitive and time-consuming facets. Accurate subject identification lays the groundwork for a successful study and mitigates risk to participants and research teams.
Digital assessment tools have made it possible for teams to improve the accuracy and speed of proper participant screening. Clinically validated online instruments are as reliable as their paper versions but tend to be completed and scored faster, making them more convenient and efficient for research teams and participants.
The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), a purposefully brief yet precise instrument, is particularly beneficial. Let's explore why.
The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) is a concise, structured interview to evaluate patients for common psychiatric disorders. It follows the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
Developers created the DSM-V M.I.N.I. for multicenter clinical trials and epidemiological studies to provide a succinct and accurate screening instrument for clinicians to use to establish a baseline measurement of a patient’s mental disorder diagnosis(es).
The interview consists of a series of closed-ended questions. Interviewers can only accept “yes” or “no” answers, though some topics include follow-up questions when participants give positive responses. The instrument also provides clarifying examples for the interviewer to offer, if necessary.
The standard M.I.N.I. has 17 modules, each assessing for a different mental health diagnosis in the DSM-V. The M.I.N.I.-KID is a pediatric version for ages 6 to 17. The M.I.N.I.-KID has 24 modules, including separate suicidality modules organized by age group.
The item count in each module depends on the participating individual’s answers. Negative responses may rule out a diagnosis within one or two questions. The instrument guides the interviewer to the appropriate follow-up question if a patient answers positively.
Sections may have five or more follow-up questions, depending on the answers. Some sections have multiple brief questions. For example, when screening for substance use disorder, the interviewer may ask five to nine questions regarding withdrawal from four different substance types.
The MINI is minimalistic, including only as many questions as is necessary to provide an accurate picture. This structure effectively streamlines each interview, optimizing the use of study resources.
Since each module has a flexible item count, its overall length varies by patient. Thus, a common question asked by clinicians and researchers is: “How long does the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview take?”
According to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, administration of the M.I.N.I. takes approximately 15 minutes. Actual administration times will vary depending on individual responses and the need for follow-up questions. A 2018 study recorded M.I.N.I. completion durations ranging from 12 to 60 minutes, though 83% took 30 minutes or less to complete.
Digital administration of the M.I.N.I. is a particularly efficient approach. Results are available within seconds, allowing interviewers to move forward without costly delays.
Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview scoring happens by module. Each module corresponds with a specific diagnostic category and includes a letter identification for reference.
Each “yes” answer corresponds to one point on that module’s scale. Clinicians add positive responses to determine the participant’s module score, which indicates whether the person meets the clinical criteria for that diagnosis.
M.I.N.I. developers created the instrument with clinical research in mind. The M.I.N.I. is brief by design, allowing researchers to expedite participant evaluation and follow-up assessment.
Formulated to be shorter than traditional instruments while maintaining reliability, the M.I.N.I. accomplishes the same goals as traditional tools in less time. The digital M.I.N.I. saves even more time, returning results in minutes. Research teams can evaluate more participants using fewer resources while creating a better experience for participants.
Consider three common scenarios.
Electronic instruments, such as the digital M.I.N.I., may improve study recruitment rates and reduce onboarding time of ineligible participants. In one study, electronic reporting of eligibility data increased the participant sample size by 14%. Electronic tools also identified 21 incorrectly included patients.
The digital M.I.N.I. also improves the experience for patients and interviewers. In one study published in BMC Family Practice, most patients expressed satisfaction with the length and level of detail involved in the interview process. Only 6% of interviewees said that the study felt too long, and 96% reported not feeling exhausted by the end.
Both interviewers and interviewees felt comfortable with the thoroughness of the M.I.N.I. More than three in four patients believed they could give enough detail to express their experiences. Interviewers were also satisfied with the instrument’s thoroughness, with more than 80% reporting no difficulty collecting all relevant information. By providing a concise yet comprehensive interview experience, research teams can confidently expedite participants’ sign-on process.
The M.I.N.I.’s brevity makes it a uniquely appropriate tool for studies that must fill and begin quickly. According to Cambridge University Press, more extended assessments, such as the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), with a median completion time of 92 minutes, can delay the onboarding process and potentially dissuade volunteers.
Participants can complete the M.I.N.I. in less than a quarter of that time, allowing study teams to screen up to four times as many applicants in the same period.
Reliable and consistent tracking instruments are crucial when conducting a large-scale longitudinal study. With its straightforward structure and standard question set, the M.I.N.I. makes it easier for researchers to track participants’ progress.
The digital M.I.N.I. offers additional advantages. Researchers can conduct online interviews, more easily reaching participants who live far away or have busy schedules that can make scheduling the interview increasingly difficult. With the digital M.I.N.I.’s rapid scoring, teams can also seamlessly coordinate follow-up.
The digital M.I.N.I. simplifies the evaluation process for research teams and clinical facilities, and Proem is proud to be its exclusive digital licensee. As with our other suite of behavioral health tools, the M.I.N.I. helps teams improve research effectiveness, maintain reliability and decrease expenses.
Find out more about how Proem’s exclusive digital license of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview can enhance your research. Get access to the tool or schedule a 1:1 meeting today.
