Elsevier

Psychiatry Research

Volume 23, Issue 1, January 1988, Pages 99-110
Psychiatry Research

Reliability and validity of the positive and negative syndrome scale for schizophrenics

https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1781(88)90038-8Get rights and content

Abstract

The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was developed out of the need for a well-operationalized method of assessing these syndromes in schizophrenia, including their relationship to one another and to global psychopathology. We surveyed 82 acute and chronic schizophrenics to analyze the psychometric properties of the four PANSS scales. The interrater reliabilities were in the 0.80's, and significant correlations emerged with corresponding criterion measures. The PANNS positive and negative scales were inversely intercorrelated once their shared association with general psychopathology had been partialed out. The results support the scales' reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity, while cross-validating some of our previous findings.

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  • Cited by (0)

    Portions of this work were presented at the Clinical Directors' Conference, New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany, NY, September 9–10, 1986.

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