EPA-0120 – Validation and Normalization of the Russian Version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-RU) in Schizophrenia: Preliminary Findings

Abstract

Objectives:

The PANSS is utilized in clinical trials for assessment of psychopathology. In order to determine the status of a patient, comparisons within a general population are necessary. If several groups of patients are to be compared, gender, age, co-morbid diagnoses, and other factors affecting clinical status are not identically distributed.

Aims:

1) Phase 1: To establish the initial psychometric properties of the PANSS-Ru. 2) Phase 2: To establish normed-reference data for the PANSS-Ru.

Methods:

Phase 1: 40 patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Phase 2: 375 individuals (n = 250 patients; n = 125 controls). Responses were assessed for internal consistency, stability, reliability, discriminative validity, and construct validity. Fifth percentile norms are presented as step functions. Data were compared to US norms.

Results:

40 subjects enrolled for Phase 1. Alpha coefficient of 0.88 verified good internal consistency. Test-retest comparisons verified time stability (r = 0.67 to 0.92). Correlation between subscale and the total scores ranged from 0.76 to 0.86, compared to > 0.83 for US norm studies. Internal consistencies were α > 0.745. Mean subscale/ total score were equivalent to US population norms within 13%. However, there was a difference of > 5 norm-based points for mean general psychopathology subscale. Norms had a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 89%.

Conclusions:

Preliminary results show that different dimensions of symptom presentations in the Russian population may help to improve symptom-specific treatments, and will also provide comparison data for a Russian population. Further normative studies are warranted in other populations.