psychiatric negative predictive value
The probability that an individual without positive screening results truly does not have a psychiatric disorder.
Full Definition
A diagnostic accuracy measure in psychiatric epidemiology representing the proportion of individuals with negative screening test results who truly do not have the psychiatric condition of interest. It depends on both the test's specificity and the prevalence of the disorder in the population being screened. High negative predictive value indicates that negative screening results can be trusted to rule out psychiatric disorders. This measure is particularly important in psychiatric epidemiology for evaluating screening programs and determining when additional assessment is unnecessary.
Usage
Usage note: Often abbreviated as NPV in tables; spell out on first use and ensure distinction from positive predictive value (PPV).
In Context
- "The screening tool demonstrated excellent psychiatric negative predictive value of 95% in this low-prevalence population." — diagnostic validation study
- "Psychiatric negative predictive value decreases as disorder prevalence increases in the screened population." — epidemiological methods textbook