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PANSS‐6: a brief rating scale for the measurement of severity in schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Østergaard S. D.,
Lemming O. M.,
Mors O.,
Correll C. U.,
Bech P.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/acps.12526
Subject(s) - positive and negative syndrome scale , psychology , rating scale , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , placebo , psychiatry , clinical psychology , medicine , psychosis , developmental psychology , alternative medicine , pathology
Objective The 30‐item Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS ‐30) is the most widely used rating scale in schizophrenia, but too long for clinical use. Shorter PANSS versions have been proposed, including the PANSS ‐14 and PANSS ‐8. However, none of these PANSS versions has been validated using the parametric Rasch rating scale model, which evaluates ‘scalability’. Scalability means that each item in a rating scale provides unique information regarding syndrome severity and is a statistical prerequisite for using the total score as a measure of overall severity. Method Based on data from two randomized placebo‐controlled trials in schizophrenia, we tested the scalability of PANSS ‐30, PANSS ‐14 and PANSS ‐8 by means of the parametric Rasch rating scale model. Furthermore, we tested whether a scalable PANSS version could separate efficacy of haloperidol and sertindole from placebo. Results Neither PANSS ‐30, PANSS ‐14 nor PANSS ‐8 was scalable. However, PANSS ‐6, consisting of the items: P1‐Delusions, P2‐Conceptual disorganization, P3‐Hallucinations, N1‐Blunted Affect, N4‐Social withdrawal, N6‐Lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation, was scalable. Furthermore, PANSS ‐6 captured superior symptom reduction and higher remission rates during treatment with haloperidol and sertindole vs. placebo. Conclusion PANSS ‐6 is a short schizophrenia severity rating scale that adequately separates antipsychotic efficacy from that of placebo.