Quantifying the core symptoms of schizophrenia

2020.10.19 | Graduate School of Health

Monday 2 November at 13:00, Pernille Kølbæk defends her PhD dissertation entitled "Clinical validation of ratings on the six-item Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-6) obtained using the Simplified Negative And Positive Symptoms Interview (SNAPSI)".

In the care of people with mental disorders, the effect of treatment can be quantified using rating scales. The primary treatment outcome has traditionally been symptom severity, but over the past decades other outcomes such as side effects, well-being and functioning have gained increasing interest. Unfortunately, the quantification of treatment outcomes has not yet gained widespread use in clinical practice. Possible reasons for this delay include lack of psychometrically valid and brief clinician-rated and self-rated scales, time constraints, and lack of formal training among the staff. In the studies included in this PhD dissertation, we evaluated the reliability and validity of a brief clinician-rated schizophrenia symptom rating scale (the six-item version of the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-6)). Secondly, we assessed the relationship between PANSS-6 ratings and self-reported measures of side effects, well-being and functioning. Thirdly, we evaluated the validity of a self-reported rating scale of core schizophrenia symptoms using the PANSS-6 as reference. Fourth and finally, we assessed the reliability and validity of PANSS ratings performed by clinical staff members before, during and after participation in a video-based PANSS-6 training program.    

The summary is written by the PhD student.   

The defence is public and will be held in Auditorium J116-113, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (registration necessary) and online via Zoom ( https://aarhusuniversity.zoom.us/s/66094306356). Please read full press release for further information.    

Contact:

PhD student Pernille Kølbæk

Mail: perpet@rm.dk 

Phone: (+45) 42837939

Read full press release