Validation of the A rabic version of the C omprehensive A ssessment of A t R isk M ental S tates ( CAARMS ) in T unisian adolescents and young adults

Aim: The study aimed to examine whether the Arabic version of the C omprehensive A ssessment of A t R isk M ental S tates ( CAARMS ) has good construct validity, concurrent validity and reliability. Methods: Validity was established on a sample of 58 T unisian adolescents and young adults aged between 16 and 30 years. These subjects were divided into three groups according to the CAARMS scores: ultra‐high risk positive subjects ( UHR (+) ) ( n  = 22), ultra‐high risk negative subjects ( UHR (–) ) ( n  = 25) and subjects meeting the criteria of a first‐episode psychosis ( FEP ) ( n  = 11). For construct validity, we used the convergent validity. We used the P ositive and N egative S yndrome S cale ( PANSS ) concomitantly with the CAARMS . For concurrent validity, we studied the correlation between symptoms of the CAARMS and their equivalents in the PANSS . The CAARMS reliability was conducted by the study of interrater reliability. Results: The UHR (+) group was shown with intermediate scores of PANSS between the two groups UHR (–) and FEP . That confirms a good construct validity of the Arabic version of the CAARMS . We noted a correlation between the scores in positive and negative sections measured by the CAARMS and their corresponding level of the PANSS . These results show that the CAARMS has a good concurrent validity with the PANSS . For the reliability study, we noted a good correlation between the two raters with a P earson coefficient ranging from 0.55 to 0.90. Conclusion: Analysis of the results of construct validity, concurrent validity and reliability of the CAARMS indicates that this version translated into A rabic is valid and reliable.