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The reliability and validity of the Norwegian version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 June 2007

Geir Selbæk ,
Øyvind Kirkevold ,
Oskar H. Sommer  and
Knut Engedal
Geir Selbæk*
Affiliation:
Research Centre for Old Age Psychiatric Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Ottestad, Norway The Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research, Ullevaal University Hospital, Norway
Øyvind Kirkevold
Affiliation:
The Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research, Vestfold Mental Health Care Trust, Norway Agder University College, Faculty of Health and Sports, Kristiansand, Norway
Oskar H. Sommer
Affiliation:
Research Centre for Old Age Psychiatric Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Ottestad, Norway
Knut Engedal
Affiliation:
Research Centre for Old Age Psychiatric Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Ottestad, Norway The Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research, Ullevaal University Hospital, Norway University of Oslo, Norway
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Geir Selbæk, Research Centre for Old Age Psychiatric Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Post Box 68, 2312 Ottestad, Norway. Phone: +47 9588 3535; Fax: +47 6127 2569. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background: Psychiatric symptoms and behavioral disturbances are highly prevalent in the residents of nursing homes. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is a commonly used scale for the assessment of such symptoms in diverse settings. We have conducted a study of the reliability and the validity of the Norwegian version of the NPI nursing home version (NPI-NH).

Methods: The reliability study comprised 41 patients. We established inter-rater reliability between raters with various levels of health education using κ statistics. Fifty patients were included in the validity study. The patients were examined by a physician, who also rated the patient's behavior using “behavioral pathology in Alzheimer's disease” (BEHAVE-AD). Subsequently, a research nurse performed a standardized interview using the NPI and the Cornell scale. Concurrent validity of the NPI and the BEHAVE-AD was analyzed.

Results: Internal consistency, as measured by Cronbach's α was above 0.8. Inter-rater reliability was, except for one item, between 0.85 and 1.0 across assessors with different levels of health education. All correlations between the NPI and the BEHAVE-AD were significant, ranging from 0.38 to 0.72. The weakest correlations were between items assessing affective and anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion: The Norwegian version of the NPI-NH is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing psychiatric symptoms and behavioral disturbances in the residents of nursing homes. The investigation of depressive symptoms merits particular attention.

Keywords

neuropsychiatric symptomsnursing homesvalidityreliabilitydementia
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , April 2008 , pp. 375 - 382
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2007

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