RESEARCH NOTE - THE TEST-RETEST STABILITY OF THE 5 MINUTE SPEECH SAMPLE IN PARENTS OF DISADVANTAGED, MINORITY CHILDREN

The test-retest stability of the Five Minute Speech Sample, a brief me asure of Expressed Emotion (EE), was established in a community sample of predominantly low income, ethnic minority families with children a ged from 3 to 14 years. Significant stability was established when Bor derline responses were included in the scoring. There was some interch ange between High-EE and Borderline-EE, but none of the time one Low-E E respondent gave a second speech sample that included a higher level of EE. Both English and Spanish speaking subjects had stable scores.