| Development |
Structure/Psychometrics |
Training/Administration |
| SIPS |
Scale development based on one group/university, clinical observation, small and unrepresentative sample, and symptom presentation in a psychotic population.
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Single items assess entire domains of negative symptomatology, scaling is imprecise. Scale structure neglects details and nuances that are meaningful in psychosis-risk populations, and generates skewed data. Problems with subscale items prevent factors from mapping onto motivation/pleasure and emotional expression factors as they are understood in chronic schizophrenia; item removal may be warranted. Items not part of the negative symptom construct are included. |
Training is not freely available and cost may be prohibitive for some. No standardized gold-standard rating videos are available Process of establishing reliability is arduous. |
| CAARMS |
CAARMS cutoffs for identifying CHR individuals based on the BPRS and CASH, which are known to not measure all negative symptom constructs as defined in the NIMH consensus conference (Kirkpatrick et al., 2006).
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Unclear whether the sample was demographically diverse or representative of the broader CHR population (Yung et al., 2005). Predictive validity of negative symptom items may not be clinically meaningful (Yung et al., 2005). Concurrent validity was assessed using the BPRS and CASH, which are based on outdated conceptualizations of negative symptoms. No studies have been done to examine the separate negative symptom psychometrics of the CAARMS. Structure of negative symptom items unclear. Single items used to assess domains of symptoms. Scaling is imprecise. |
Training is not freely available and cost may be prohibitive for some. A training DVD is available along with a manual that incorporates training vignettes, but the training DVDs contain interviews with staff members acting as though they are individuals with CHR symptoms rather than actual individuals with the symptoms in question. Gold standard ratings are established for the training vignettes, which are written to contain all of the information necessary to rate the scales and may not approximate information procured in an actual interview. |
| SPI |
Although SPI items were derived from cluster and facet analyses on prodromal youth and individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, content was not developed with negative symptomatology in mind. The primary goal of the SPI is to assess for basic symptoms. |
The measure does not assess for negative symptoms specifically. Structure of items relevant to negative symptom construct is unclear. There is no negative symptom domain or total score. The closest domain is “adynamia” that includes items related to avolition, with additional items under various other Basic Symptom domains within the scale. Ratings are based solely off internal experience, rather than overt behavior. |
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