Substitution of California Verbal Learning Test,Second Edition for Verbal Paired Associates on the Wechsler Memory Scale,Fourth Edition

Two common measures used to evaluate verbal learning and memory are the Verbal Paired Associates (VPA) subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scales (WMS) and the second edition of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II). For the fourth edition of the WMS, scores from the CVLT-II can be substituted for VPA; the present study sought to examine the validity of the substitution. For each substitution, paired-samples t tests were conducted between original VPA scaled scores and scaled scores obtained from the CVLT-II substitution to evaluate comparability. Similar comparisons were made at the index score level. At the index score level, substitution resulted in significantly lower scores for the AMI (p?=?.03; r?=?.13) but not for the IMI (p?=?.29) or DMI (p?=?.09). For the subtest scores, substituted scaled scores for VPA were not significantly different from original scores for the immediate recall condition (p?=?.20) but were significantly lower at delayed recall (p?=?.01). These findings offer partial support for the substitution. For both the immediate and delayed conditions, the substitution produced generally lower subtest scores compared to original VPA subtest scores.     

Reliability and validity of the Mini PAS-ADD for assessing psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disability

The Mini PAS-ADD is an assessment schedule for psychiatric disorders in people with an intellectual disability. It is designed to provide a link between the mental health expertise of psychiatrists and psychologists, and the detailed knowledge of individual service users possessed by support staff. In broad terms, the aim of the Mini PAS-ADD is to enable non-psychiatrists accurately to recognize clinically significant psychiatric disorders in the people who they care for, so that they can make informed referral decisions, The instrument comprises 86 psychiatric symptoms and generates a series of subscores on: depression, anxiety and phobias, mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, unspecified disorder (including dementia), and pervasive developmental disorder (autism). The present paper reports the results of a study investigating internal consistency, inter-rater agreement and validity in relation to clinical opinion, using a sample of 68 people with intellectual disability who were in contact with psychiatric services. In terms of the instrument fulfilling its main intended function, i.e. accurate case recognition, the crucial question was whether the support workers, with their lesser knowledge of psychopathology, were also able to correctly identify cases identified by expert clinicians. The validity results in this respect (81% agreement on case recognition) were sufficiently good that it is to be anticipated that the Mini PAS-ADD should have a significant impact on the identification of psychiatric disorders in the community of people with intellectual disability.     

Reliability and validity of the PAS-ADD Checklist for detecting psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disability

The PAS-ADD Checklist is a screening instrument specifically designed to help staff recognize mental health problems in the people with intellectual disability for whom they care, and to make informed referral decisions. The instrument consists of a life-events checklist and 29 symptom items scored on a four-point scale. Scores are combined to provide three threshold scores. The crossing of any of these thresholds indicates the need for a fuller assessment. The items are worded in everyday language, making the Checklist suitable for use by individuals who do not have a background in psychopathology. The present paper presents the results of a number of studies evaluating the reliability and validity of the Checklist. Factor analysis of Checklists completed on a community sample of 201 individuals yielded eight factors, of which seven were readily interpretable in diagnostic terms. Internal consistency of the scales was generally acceptable. Inter-rarer reliability in respect to individual items gave a fairly low average Kappa of 0.42. However, agreement on case identification, the main purpose of the Checklist, was quite good, with 83% of the decision being in agreement. Validity in relation to clinical opinion was also satisfactory, case detection rising appropriately with the clinically judged severity of disorder. The PAS-ADD Checklist is published and distributed by the Hester Adrian Research Centre, Manchester, England, from where further information and order forms are available on request.