S675 Development and Validation of a Novel Self-Report Mental Health Scale for Patients with Gastroduodenal Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction: the Alimetry Gut-Brain Wellbeing Survey

Introduction: Patients with gastroduodenal disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) often experience psychological comorbidity, highlighting the bidirectional relationship between psychological factors and gastrointestinal symptoms. Consequently, it is recommended that clinicians routinely evaluate the mental wellbeing of these patients as part of standard care. However, no mental wellbeing scale has been developed specifically for this patient population. This research describes the multi-phase process used to develop and validate a novel mental wellbeing scale for patients with gastroduodenal DGBIs. Methods: A patient-centred co-development process was implemented, employing a multi-phase mixed-methods approach. In Phase 1, the most relevant concepts for this patient population were selected from existing mental health scales, utilising data collected from a sample of 79 patients with gastroduodenal DGBIs. During Phase 2, an interdisciplinary team of experts generated scale items based on the identified concepts and existing literature. In Phase 3, the scale underwent pre-testing with external gastroenterologists (n=9), health psychologists (n=3), and patients with gastroduodenal DGBIs (n=12). Feedback was incorporated through multiple rounds to refine the scale. Lastly, in Phase 4, the psychometric properties of the final scale were assessed in a sample of 182 patients via an online survey. Results: The final Alimetry Gut-Brain Wellbeing (AGBW) Survey comprises a patient preface, 10 close-ended questions, and a final optional open-ended question. This multi-dimensional scale can be used to assess general mental wellbeing, alongside specific subscales relating to depression, stress, and anxiety. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were 0.91 for the total scale and ranged from 0.72-0.87 for the subscales, indicating high internal consistency. Comparisons with other validated questionnaires demonstrated good convergent, divergent, concurrent, and known-groups validity of the total score and subscale scores. Conclusion: The AGBW Survey is a brief, novel scale, developed to assess mental wellbeing in patients with gastroduodenal DGBIs. It serves as a valuable tool to complement physiological tests, enabling the routine assessment of mental wellbeing in these patients. The AGBW Survey has the potential to guide psychological referrals, inform multidisciplinary management plans, and evaluate treatment outcomes in both clinical and research settings.