The DSM -5 describes Schizophrenia in terms of a severe, chronic, and potentially disabling thought disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The disorder is characterized by positive and negative symptoms. The diagnosis of Schizophrenia cannot currently be made based on the results of a diagnostic test or laboratory assessment; instead the modern diagnosis of schizophrenia is based on descriptive patterns of behavior, psychopathology (positive and negative symptoms) that can be reliably assessed (Tsuang, Glatt, & Faraone, 2011). At first, symptoms of schizophrenia appear as confusing and shocking. For family members, it is usually difficult to cope with such a person because of the sudden change in behavior.
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It is a 30 item 7-point rating scale designed to standardized positive and negative symptoms assessment. The tool includes a detailed definition of each symptom and its rating from ' absent to extreme '. It is diminished for 35 to 50 minutes. It requires minimal training to conduct. Feedback from family members and patient interview is used to make clinical judgment. PANSS is comprised of a 7- item symptom, 7 item negative symptom subscales and 16 items general psychopathy subscale. The negative scale assesses blunted affect, social withdraws, emotional withdrawal and poor rapport (Keefe, 2004). The tool helps the clinician to consider negative and positive symptoms which are relative to the general illness severity. The variable result of positive- negative research underscores the need of well characterized and standardized measurement techniques. PANSS presents a balanced representation of negative and positive and presents their relationship to global psychopathology. The study of reliability and validity of the test was determined by testing the four subscale of the test which formed a normal curve. Positive and negative were inversely correlated suggesting that they represent mutually exclusive constructs. This was done using 103 schizophrenics. Review of studies involving PANSS provide evidence based criterion relating to validity and …show more content…
ALPHS et al. (2011), reported in addition to the individual items, the NSA‐16 also includes a global rating in which the clinician estimates the overall degree of impairment specifically related to the patients negative symptoms (in comparison with a normal healthy young adult). The NSA-16 is proven to be a reliable instrument however, it can be time consuming. To simplify the instrument as a tool for rapid clinical assessment or screening of patients for negative symptoms, four items were selected verbatim from the NSA-16 (restricted speech quantity, reduced emotion, reduced social drive, and reduced interests) and an overall global rating of negative symptoms based on the rater’s overall gestalt of negative symptom severity (Alphs, et al., 2010). This four item assessment tool (the NSA‐4) is quick and easy to administer, and captures the essential features of the NSA‐16 (Alphs et al., 2011). Alphs and colleagues conducted a study to determine the validity and reliability of the NSA-4. Their study consisted of 561 patients experiencing predominant and persistent negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Their study was conducted in North and South America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia. Participants were both male and female and the mean age of 42. The results of Alphs and his colleagues study found:
The NSA‐4 showed
It is a 30 item 7-point rating scale designed to standardized positive and negative symptoms assessment. The tool includes a detailed definition of each symptom and its rating from ' absent to extreme '. It is diminished for 35 to 50 minutes. It requires minimal training to conduct. Feedback from family members and patient interview is used to make clinical judgment. PANSS is comprised of a 7- item symptom, 7 item negative symptom subscales and 16 items general psychopathy subscale. The negative scale assesses blunted affect, social withdraws, emotional withdrawal and poor rapport (Keefe, 2004). The tool helps the clinician to consider negative and positive symptoms which are relative to the general illness severity. The variable result of positive- negative research underscores the need of well characterized and standardized measurement techniques. PANSS presents a balanced representation of negative and positive and presents their relationship to global psychopathology. The study of reliability and validity of the test was determined by testing the four subscale of the test which formed a normal curve. Positive and negative were inversely correlated suggesting that they represent mutually exclusive constructs. This was done using 103 schizophrenics. Review of studies involving PANSS provide evidence based criterion relating to validity and …show more content…
ALPHS et al. (2011), reported in addition to the individual items, the NSA‐16 also includes a global rating in which the clinician estimates the overall degree of impairment specifically related to the patients negative symptoms (in comparison with a normal healthy young adult). The NSA-16 is proven to be a reliable instrument however, it can be time consuming. To simplify the instrument as a tool for rapid clinical assessment or screening of patients for negative symptoms, four items were selected verbatim from the NSA-16 (restricted speech quantity, reduced emotion, reduced social drive, and reduced interests) and an overall global rating of negative symptoms based on the rater’s overall gestalt of negative symptom severity (Alphs, et al., 2010). This four item assessment tool (the NSA‐4) is quick and easy to administer, and captures the essential features of the NSA‐16 (Alphs et al., 2011). Alphs and colleagues conducted a study to determine the validity and reliability of the NSA-4. Their study consisted of 561 patients experiencing predominant and persistent negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Their study was conducted in North and South America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia. Participants were both male and female and the mean age of 42. The results of Alphs and his colleagues study found:
The NSA‐4 showed