proxy respondent
An individual who provides information about someone else's mental health status when direct assessment is not possible.
Full Definition
Proxy respondents are individuals, typically family members or caregivers, who provide information about a study participant's psychiatric symptoms and functioning when the participant cannot be interviewed directly due to cognitive impairment, severe illness, or other incapacitating conditions. In psychiatric epidemiology, proxy reporting is particularly relevant for studies of dementia, severe mental illness, or deceased individuals in psychological autopsy studies. The validity of proxy reports varies by type of information requested, with observable behaviors generally reported more accurately than internal states such as mood or anxiety symptoms.
Usage
Usage note: Document relationship to participant and consider validity limitations for different types of symptoms.
In Context
- "Proxy respondents were used when participants had severe cognitive impairment that precluded reliable self-report." — dementia epidemiology study
- "Agreement between proxy and self-report was highest for observable behavioral symptoms." — validation study results