Factor Structure and Differential Validity of the Expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale

Abstract

The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is one of the most widely used measures in psychiatric outcome and clinical psychopharmacology research. To date, however, research on the psychometric properties of the expanded version of the BPRS (BPRS-E) has been limited. An exploratory factor analysis (n = 360) using maximum likelihood extraction with oblimin rotation found a four-factor solution (Thought Disturbance, Animation, Mood Disturbance, Apathy) to underlie the BPRS-E. Furthermore, these factors were logical in nature and estimates of internal consistency were acceptable. A confirmatory factor analysis conducted on a second, independent sample (n = 280) found that for the five models currently available in the literature, the model developed herein provided the best fit to the data. Again, estimates of internal consistency were found acceptable. Finally, the four factors demonstrated appropriate differential validity with regards to both demographic variables and various psychiatric diagnoses.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Arbuckle, J. L. (1997). Amos users’ guide (Version 3.6). Chicago: Small Waters Corporation.

Bollen, K. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York: John Wiley.

Burger, G. K., Calsyn, R. J., Morse, G. A., Klinkenberg, W. D., & Trusty, M. L. (1997). Factor structure of the expanded brief psychiatric rating scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53, 451-454.

Crocker, L., & Algina, J. (1986). Introduction to classical and modern test theory. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Group.

Dingemans, P. M. A. J., Linszen, D. H., Lenior, M. E., & Smeets, R. M. W. (1995). Component structure of the expanded brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS-E). Psychopharmacology, 122, 263-267.

Faustman, W. O., & Overall, J. E. (1999). Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. In M. E. Maruish (Ed.), The use of psychological testing for treatment planning and outcomes assessment (2nd ed., pp. 791-830). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Ford, J. K., MacCallum, R. C., & Tait, M. (1986). The application of exploratory factor analysis in applied psychology: A critical review and analysis. Personnel Psychology, 39, 291-314.

Hoyle, R. H. (1995). Structural equation modeling: Concepts, issues, and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

10.

Lukoff, D., Nuechterlien, K., & Ventura, A. (1986). Manual for the expanded brief psychiatric rating scale. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 13, 261-276.

11.

Montgomery, S. A., Taylor, P., & Montgomery, D. (1978). Development of a schizophrenia scale sensitive to change. Neuropharmacology, 17, 1061-1063.

12.

Overall, J. E., & Gorham, D. R. (1962). The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Psychological Reports, 10, 799.812.

13.

Overall, J. E., Hollister, L. E., & Pichot, P. (1967). Major psychiatric disorders: A four-dimensional model. Archives of General Psychiatry, 16, 146-151.

14.

Ownby, R. L., & Seibel, H. P. (1994). A factor analysis of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale in an older psychiatric population: Exploratory and confirmatory analyses. Multivariate Experimental Clinical Research, 10, 145-156.

15.

Paykel, E. S. (1985). The clinical interview for depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 9, 85-96.

16.

Silverstein, M. L., Mavrolefteros, G., & Close, D. (1997). BPRS syndrome scales during the course of an episode of psychiatric illness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53, 455-458.

17.

Thomas, A., Donnell, A. J., & Young, T. R. (2004). Factor Structure and Differential Validity of the Expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Assessment, 11, 177-187.

18.

Van der Does, A. J. W., Linszen, D. H., Dingemans, P. M., Nugter, M. A., & Scholte, W. F. (1993). A dimensional and categorical approach to the symptomatology of recent-onset schizophrenia. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 181, 744-749.

19.

Varner, R. V., Chen, R., Swann, A. C., & Moeller, F. G. (2000). The brief psychiatric rating scale as an acute inpatient outcome measurement tool: A pilot study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 61, 418-421.

20.

Ventura, J., Green, M. F., Shaner, A., & Lieberman, R. P. (1993). Training and quality assurance with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale: The Drift Busters. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 3, 221-244.

21.

Ventura, J., Nuechterlein, K. H., Subotnik, K., & Gilbert, E. (1995, April 10). Symptom dimensions in recent-onset schizophrenia: The 24-item expanded BPRS. Paper presented at the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research, Warm Springs, VA.