The prodromal questionnaire (PQ): preliminary validation of a self-report screening measure for prodromal and psychotic syndromes

This study aims to establish preliminary validity of the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ), a 92-item self-report screening measure for prodromal and psychotic symptoms. Adolescents and young adults (N = 113) referred to a prodromal psychosis research clinic completed the PQ and the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS [Miller, T.J., McGlashan, T.H., Woods, S.W., Stein, K., Driesen, N., Corcoran, C.M., Hoffman, R., Davidson, L., 1999. Symptom assessment in schizophrenic prodromal states. Psychiatric Quarterly 70(4), 273-287]), an interview with established validity for predicting future psychosis. When maximizing selection of true positive cases, scores on a subset of PQ items that assess positive symptoms predicted a concurrent prodromal or psychotic SIPS diagnosis with 90% sensitivity and 49% specificity. The PQ shows good preliminary validity in detecting individuals with an interview-diagnosed prodromal or psychotic syndrome, but it is less sensitive to the threshold between prodromal and full-blown psychosis.     

Development and validation of a multiple ability self-report questionnaire

Abstract

We present results from three studies on the development and validation of the Multiple Ability Self-Report Questionnaire (MASQ), a self-report measure comprising items from five cognitive domains; language, visuo-perceptual, verbal memory, visual memory, and attention. In Study 1, we determined the content relevance of the questionnaire items. In Study 2, we assessed the basic psychometric properties (i.e., internal consistency and test-retest reliability) of the MASQ in 118 individuals without neurologic or psychiatric disorder, aged 25 to 88 years. In Study 3 we provide validity data for the MASQ by comparing the ratings of normals to people with unilateral temporal-lobe epilepsy, and examining the relationship of self-report to objective test performance. The potential use of the MASQ to study the neurologic and psychological correlates of accuracy and unawareness in self-appraisal across different cognitive domains and various clinical groups is discussed.     

Narcissistic crisis and prediction of post-partum depression: validation of a self-report questionnaire

We sought a relationship between disorders of the narcissistic transition during pregnancy and post-partum depression. We designed a self-report questionnaire VASANT (Visual Analogic Scale for Assessment of Narcissistic Transition) in an attempt to identify women at risk from post-partum depression. A preliminary validation was carried out on 52 pregnant women. Seventeen women (33%) were identified using a semi-directive interview as suffering from a disorder in the narcissistic transition. These women had a significantly higher VASANT score (67.7 +/- 14.2 versus 20.2 +/- 8.4) than the others and had a higher incidence of post-partum depression. The value of the VASANT scale for prediction of post-partum depression is discussed.     

Development of a brief self-report questionnaire for screening putative pre-psychotic states

BackgroundSeveral self-report instruments were developed to capture psychotic prodrome, and were claimed to have good predictive validity. The feasibility of screening is questionable considering the heterogeneity of the targeted populations and the negative ramifications of false positive identification. This study developed a questionnaire using data covering a wide range of clinical characteristics.MethodsOne hundred and eleven putative pre-psychotic participants, 129 normal comparison subjects, and 95 non-psychotic psychiatric outpatients completed a 231-item questionnaire comprising a 110-item Wisconsin psychotic prone scale, 74-item schizotypal personality questionnaire, 33-item basic symptoms, and 14-item cognitive symptoms. Items showing the best discriminating power, estimated using chi-square statistics with Bonferroni correction, were extracted to create a brief version. A two-stage cut-off approach emphasizing specific items was applied to maximize sensitivity and specificity. The concurrent validity of the proposed approach was estimated using a ten-fold cross-validation procedure.ResultsA 15-item self-report questionnaire was developed. Respondents checking at least eight items, or those checking three to seven items including any of the three referring to feeling stress in crowds, aloofness, and perceptual disturbance, would be considered putatively pre-psychotic with the largest sensitivity + specificity (0.784 + 0.705 = 1.489). This cut-off selection was the best estimate by calculating 1000 permutations in the cross-validation procedure.ConclusionsThis investigation proposes a different orientation for applying questionnaires to screen putative pre-psychotic states, with less emphasis on attenuated psychotic symptoms and predictive values. Besides providing a handy tool for increasing awareness and referral, the instructions of such a screening questionnaire should be carefully worded.     

The preliminary development of a new self-report measure for OCD in young people

The aim of this study was to develop a reliable self-report instrument to assess obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in young people. The children's Obsessional Compulsive Inventory (CHOCI) had good internal consistency, criterion validity and was significantly correlated with the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). This preliminary new measure could serve to provide a more efficient and accessible way of assessing OCD in young people.     

The emetophobia questionnaire (EmetQ-13): Psychometric validation of a measure of specific phobia of vomiting (emetophobia)

This study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of a self-report assessment of the severity of symptoms of emetophobia. Using a sample of 95 individuals with emetophobia, and a matched sample of 90 control participants, a 13-items inventory was developed that showed a clear three-factor structure. The EmetQ-13 had good internal consistency (α = .82 in the clinical sample, and α = .85 in the control sample), and one-week test–retest reliability (r_xx = .76). The EmetQ-13 showed significant correlations with another measure of emetophobia symptoms, the Specific Phobia of Vomiting Inventory, and related constructs such as disgust sensitivity. The measure showed excellent ability to classify emetophobic and non-emetophobic individuals, with correct assignment in 96.2% of cases. The EmetQ-13 also correlated significantly with a behavioural approach test using a vomit-like stimulus. The initial evaluation of the EmetQ-13 suggests that it is a reliable and valid measure for the assessment of emetophobia.     

Rejecting the patient: preliminary validation of a self-report scale.

The authors describe an easily administered scale being developed to assess the rejecting feelings of family respondents toward former mental patients who return to live with their families. Based upon a sample of 133 discharged mental patients and family members, the scale demonstrates a moderately high reliability (alpha = .78) and test-retest correlation (r = .72). Data are presented for evaluating the construct validity of the scale.     

The Somatic Complaint List: validation of a self-report questionnaire assessing somatic complaints in children

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the Somatic Complaint List (SCL) in children. METHOD: At T1, 365 fourth and 352 fifth graders completed the SCL, the Children's Somatization Inventory (CSI-C), and the Mood Questionnaire. Parents (n=564) completed the parental form of the CSI-C (CSI-P). Six months later, the stability of the SCL and the CSI-C was assessed. RESULTS: The psychometric properties and stability of the SCL were good. Correlations with the CSI-C, negative moods, and the CSI-P complaints supported the validity. Moreover, the SCL was more strongly associated with negative moods and with parental reports of children's somatic complaints than the CSI-C. CONCLUSION: The SCL is a suitable questionnaire for assessing somatic complaints in school-aged children.     

Negative thoughts after childbirth: development and preliminary validation of a self-report scale

This study describes the development and initial validation of a questionnaire that is suitable for detecting and measuring postpartum negative thoughts. Semistructured interviews with mothers who had suffered from postnatal depression were conducted to inform the content of the questionnaire. The initial questionnaire, alongside other measures, was then administered to a nonclinical sample of mothers with babies aged 0-7 months. Using principal components analysis, a two-factor structure was obtained for the Postnatal Negative Thoughts Questionnaire (PNTQ). The factors included appraisal of cognition, emotion, and situation (ACES) and baby-related and motherhood negative thoughts (BRM-NT). The psychometric properties demonstrated acceptable validity, satisfactory test-retest reliability, and internal consistency. These findings suggest that the PNTQ is a reliable and valid measure for assessing postpartum negative thoughts. Consistent with previous research, findings also suggest that appraisal of negative thoughts is more strongly related to postpartum depression than to the experience of negative thoughts per se. Clinicians may use the PNTQ to offer new mothers the opportunity to assess whether negative thoughts or metacognitive appraisals are being experienced as problematic. Additionally, a direct focus upon the metacognitive appraisals of postpartum negative thoughts may provide a useful adjunct to traditional cognitive therapy approaches. Recommendations for future research are discussed.     

Evaluation of intolerance of uncertainty: development and validation of a new self-report measure

Intolerance of uncertainty represents an important risk factor for development of anxiety disorders. However, few measures have been developed in order to evaluate this construct. Four studies were conducted in order to validate a new instrument evaluating intolerance of uncertainty: the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory (IUI). The first study described the questionnaire's development and evaluated the psychometric properties of its preliminary version. Study 2 examined the reliability and the factorial validity of the final version of the questionnaire, while Study 3 mainly addressed its convergent validity. Finally, Study 4 examined the questionnaire's temporal stability. Factorial analyses confirmed the IUI's validity. Results also supported the IUI's reliability, convergent validity, and temporal stability. The IUI is the first instrument that offers the possibility of measuring intolerance of uncertainty as a tendency to consider uncertainties to be unacceptable, as well as in terms of cognitive and behavioral manifestations.     

The role of self-report questionnaire in the screening of postnatal depression

Abstract.Background: Numerous studies have shown that health care professionals often experience difficulty in detecting postnatal depression. In Japan, where mental illness has traditionally been stigmatized, detection seems even more difficult. This study investigates the prevalence of postnatal depression in the community and its relation to screening methodology.Methods: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was distributed at community health centers in a district in central Tokyo. The results from both non-identifiable questionnaires and identifiable questionnaires were compared. Screening by EPDS and clinical judgment by community nurses were compared.Results: Making the questionnaire identifiable did not change the score distribution pattern. Among mothers with 3- to 4-month-old babies in the community, 13.9% scored high (9 or above) on EPDS. In 51.1% of high scorers,nurses did not detect postnatal depression. Clinically, postnatal depression can be easily missed in the community health-check setting especially when there was hitherto no report of obstetric abnormality during pregnancy or delivery.Conclusion: The prevalence of high scorers is comparable to those reported in other countries. The use of the questionnaire was helpful in drawing the attention of mothers and health care professionals to issues of mental health.     

Evaluating the CANSAS self-report (CANSAS-P) as a screening instrument for care needs in people with psychotic and affective disorders

The metabolic profiles of Chinese patients treated with second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) medication and first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) medication were compared. The sample comprised 99 patients treated with SGA (risperidone, olanzapine and ziprasidone) and 99 with FGA (chlorpromazine, haloperidol and trifluoperazine) from the outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital in Hong Kong. The most frequent psychiatric diagnosis was schizophrenia, followed by affective disorder and other psychiatric diagnoses. Subjects were measured for body weight, body height, fasting lipid and glucose levels. SGA was associated with higher LDL-cholesterol level than FGA. Individual comparison of different antipsychotics showed that patients on olanzapine had the greatest increases in cholesterol and triglycerides among all antipsychotics. The finding suggested SGA, particularly olanzapine, were associated with more metabolic risk factors than first-generation antipsychotics.     

Development and initial validation of a multi-domain self-report measure of work functioning

The need for a self-report measure of work functioning that is flexible to involvement in work across 3 domains (employment, school, and home) led to the development of the Work History Inventory (WHI). The WHI was administered to 185 patients who participated in psychotherapy studies and to 110 community control respondents who were not in treatment. The WHI Total score and subscales (Performance and Interpersonal) demonstrated adequate to good reliability. WHI scores correlated moderately with symptom measures and strongly with another work functioning measure. Changes across treatment indicated that the WHI Total and Performance scores increased significantly across psychotherapy. The WHI seems to be a reliable and valid instrument for measuring treatment related changes in work functioning.     

The self-report Barthel Index: preliminary validation in people with Parkinson's disease

Background and purpose: To make a preliminary assessment of the reliability and validity of the self‐report Barthel Index (SRBI) in people with Parkinson’s (PWP) disease. Methods: Thirty‐nine PWP completed the SRBI, the self‐report Schwab & England (S & E) scale and the PDQ‐39. Standard statistical procedures were incorporated to assess the reliability and validity of the SRBI. Results: A Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.69 was calculated, indicating adequate internal consistency. Reliability was further demonstrated through a Guttman split‐half reliability coefficient of 0.74. Validity was demonstrated through highly significant correlations between the SRBI and the S & E scale (r = 0.64, P < 0.00), the activities of daily living dimension of the PDQ‐39 (r = ?0.60, P < 0.00) and mobility dimension of the PDQ‐39 (r = ?0.49, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Results suggest that the SRBI has the potential to be a reliable and valid indicator of ADL in PWP and utilized in studies that make comparisons across conditions. Further validation is required in a larger sample and through assessment of additional psychometric properties.     

Low self-awareness of ADHD in adults using a self-report screening questionnaire

IntroductionAwareness of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults has been growing over the last decade. One of the most interesting issues related to this topic is these adults’ self-awareness of their ADHD symptoms and their estimation of their own impairments. Our hypothesis while studying young adult ADHD populations was that there would be a significant difference between their self-report and their clinical assessment.MethodOne hundred and three students volunteered for this study. In order to validate our ADHD screening questionnaire (ADHD-SQ), and to assess the level of awareness they have of their own symptoms, participants underwent a complete clinical assessment for ADHD. They were divided into a control group (n = 24), and an ADHD study group (n = 79), which in turn was composed of two sub-groups, one comprising 24 ADHD predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I) and the other 55 ADHD combined type (ADHD-C).ResultsFactor analysis yielded two factors explaining 41% of the variance. The Inattention (IA) subscale score tended to be higher in both ADHD sub-groups as compared to the control group (6.5 ± 2.1 vs. 2.34 ± 2.3 with P < 0.001), with no significant difference between the two ADHD sub-groups. Hyperactivity Impulsivity (HI) subscale was significantly higher for the ADHD-C sub-group than in the ADHD-I sub-group, whose score was similar to that of the control group (control: 1.6 ± 2.1; ADHD-I: 1.55 ± 1.0; ADHD-C: 4.5 ± 2.6, P < 0.0001). Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis showed similar results. The area under the curve (AUC) of IA subscale score was 0.90 (95% confidence: 0.83–0.96) and for HI subscale score was 0.75, (95% confidence: 0.63–0.86). Classification into groups used a cut-off point of 3+ items out of nine, in the SQ and 6+ items out of nine in the clinical assessment. These two classifications showed 68% agreement (46% sensitivity and 95% specificity). In both ADHD sub-groups, the self-reported average number of positive symptoms per student was relatively low for both clusters; this phenomenon was pronounced in the specific subtypes. The self-rated HI cluster score was considerably low in the ADHD-C sub-group (4.5 ± 2.6), and the IA one was particularly low in the ADHD-IADHD-I sub-group (5.9 ± 1.9).ConclusionThis study's results indicate that ADHD symptoms are under-reported for both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive clusters, indicating that adults with ADHD tend to under-estimate their own ADHD-related impairments. We suggest that this questionnaire may be used both in research and academic settings to help counsellors and students to obtain early indication of ADHD and to refer students suspected of having ADHD to full clinical assessment.     

Fear of loss of vigilance: development and preliminary validation of a self-report instrument

We describe the development and initial validation of the Fear of Loss of Vigilance Questionnaire (FLOVQ). Recent investigations indicate that individuals with nocturnal panic (NP) demonstrate increased anxiety and panic in response to meditative relaxation and imagined hypnosis, compared to those with daytime panic (DP) only, suggesting that NP individuals fear situations that involve a loss of vigilance (e.g., relaxation, fatigue and altered states of consciousness). The FLOVQ was designed to assess this construct and was tested in five non-clinical samples and one clinical sample. The 14-item instrument demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Non-clinical respondents who experienced NP endorsed greater fear of loss of vigilance than non-panickers; those who only experienced DP did not differ from the other groups. By contrast, on measures of trait and state anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity, both panic groups scored higher than non-panickers, suggesting that these latter measures were related to broader factors pertaining to a general tendency to panic versus a specific factor associated with NP. No group differences were found between NPs and DPs in either the non-clinical or the clinical sample, suggesting that fear of loss of vigilance may be a vulnerability factor for the development of NP and that the FLOVQ has more utility as a research rather than as a clinical instrument.     

Psychometric validation of a monitoring-blunting measure for social anxiety disorder: the coping styles questionnaire for social situations (CSQSS)

The purpose of this investigation was to conduct a psychometric validation of the Coping Styles Questionnaire for Social Situations (CSQSS). The CSQSS was developed to measure monitoring and blunting coping styles in social situations based on Miller's conceptualization of how individuals cope with threat-related information. Study 1 evaluated the content validity of the CSQSS monitoring and blunting items. Study 2 examined factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of the CSQSS in a sample of 443 college students. Evidence supported the content and face validity of the CSQSS. In addition, an exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor solution consistent with the monitoring and blunting constructs. Both monitoring and blunting scores were positively correlated with measures of social anxiety, with blunting having a stronger relationship. Moreover, individuals with high social anxiety engaged in a significantly higher degree of monitoring and blunting than did individuals with low social anxiety. Taken together, these results provide support for the reliability and validity of the CSQSS. The CSQSS may serve as a useful measure for further examination of monitoring and blunting coping styles in a social anxiety disorder sample.     

The Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ): a validation study of a multidimensional self-report questionnaire to assess distress, depression, anxiety and somatization

Background

The Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) is a self-report questionnaire that has been developed in primary care to distinguish non-specific general distress from depression, anxiety and somatization. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate its criterion and construct validity.

Methods

Data from 10 different primary care studies have been used. Criterion validity was assessed by comparing the 4DSQ scores with clinical diagnoses, the GPs' diagnosis of any psychosocial problem for Distress, standardised psychiatric diagnoses for Depression and Anxiety, and GPs' suspicion of somatization for Somatization. ROC analyses and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations. Construct validity was evaluated by investigating the inter-correlations between the scales, the factorial structure, the associations with other symptom questionnaires, and the associations with stress, personality and social functioning. The factorial structure of the 4DSQ was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The associations with other questionnaires were assessed with Pearson correlations and regression analyses.

Results

Regarding criterion validity, the Distress scale was associated with any psychosocial diagnosis (area under the ROC curve [AUC] 0.79), the Depression scale was associated with major depression (AUC = 0.83), the Anxiety scale was associated with anxiety disorder (AUC = 0.66), and the Somatization scale was associated with the GPs' suspicion of somatization (AUC = 0.65). Regarding the construct validity, the 4DSQ scales appeared to have considerable inter-correlations (r = 0.35-0.71). However, 30–40% of the variance of each scale was unique for that scale. CFA confirmed the 4-factor structure with a comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.92. The 4DSQ scales correlated with most other questionnaires measuring corresponding constructs. However, the 4DSQ Distress scale appeared to correlate with some other depression scales more than the 4DSQ Depression scale. Measures of stress (i.e. life events, psychosocial problems, and work stress) were mainly associated with Distress, while Distress, in turn, was mainly associated with psychosocial dysfunctioning, including sick leave.

Conclusion

The 4DSQ seems to be a valid self-report questionnaire to measure distress, depression, anxiety and somatization in primary care patients. The 4DSQ Distress scale appears to measure the most general, most common, expression of psychological problems.     

Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR): Validation of the German version of a self-report measure for screening negative symptoms in schizophrenia

ObjectivesValidated self-report instruments could provide a time efficient screening method for negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a German version of the Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR) which is based on the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS).MethodsIn- and outpatients (N = 50) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed with standardized interviews and questionnaires on negative and positive symptoms and general psychopathology in schizophrenia, depression, and global functioning.ResultsThe German version of the MAP-SR showed high internal consistency. Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between the MAP-SR with the experience sub-scale of the CAINS and the negative symptom sub-scale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The MAP-SR also exhibited discriminant validity indicated by its non-significant correlations with positive symptoms and general psychopathology, which is in line with the findings for the original version of the MAP-SR. However, the MAP-SR correlated moderately with depression.ConclusionThe German MAP-SR appears to be a valid and suitable diagnostic tool for the identification of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.