Validation of the Italian Version of the “abnormal Bodily Phenomena Questionnaire” in a Sample of Patients with Schizophrenia: Preliminary Data

Abstract

Introduction

The abnormal bodily phenomena questionnaire (ABPq) originates from the analysis of clinical files of more than 350 patients with schizophrenia. It consists in a semi-structured interview created to evaluate the subjective anomalies in feelings, sensations, perceptions and cognition in the domain of the lived body.

Objectives

The present study is aimed at providing preliminary data for the validation of the Italian version of the ABPq.

Methods

The ABPq was translated and adapted into Italian. ABPq scores were correlated to those obtained by the schizophrenia proneness instrument, Adult version–body perception disturbances (SPI-A E, body) that evaluates the same kind of phenomena, in order to examine its convergent validity. Moreover, ABPq was correlated to psychopathological domains assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and by the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS).

Results

The experimental sample included 40 clinically stable patients. Our findings showed a strong correlation between ABPq and SPI-A E, body. An association of ABPq total score with the positive and disorganized dimensions was also observed.

Conclusions

Our preliminary data suggest that the Italian version of ABPq has a good convergent validity. The presence of abnormal bodily phenomena resulted to be associated to a greater severity of the disease and therefore it could be hypothesized that they represent an indicator of clinical severity.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.