Test-retest reliability and discriminant validity of the SWAP-200 in a psychoanalytic treatment sample

To assess the test-retest reliability of the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 (SWAP-200) personality disorder, high functioning, and Q-factor (trait/symptom) scales, we correlated the reports of 47 psychoanalysts describing a patient at the beginning of analysis and at 6 months of analysis. Since the length of psychoanalysis averages almost 6 years, and since personality disorders change slowly, we hypothesized that the test-retest reliabilities of the personality disorder scale scores would be higher than those of the Q-factor scales, which should change more quickly. The average personality disorder scale test-retest reliability was r= .82 and the average Q-factor scale test-retest reliability was r= .64. The values for mismatched cases were .02 and -.05, respectively. Analysts also provided a clinical Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) diagnosis for each of 77 patients. The SWAP-200 scores for patients with an Axis I diagnosis of depression and for four of the five Axis II diagnoses with four or more cases provide support for the validity of the SWAP-200.