COMPONENT STRUCTURE OF THE EXPANDED BRIEF PSYCHIATRIC RATING-SCALE (BPRS-E)

The component structure of the expanded Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-E) was analyzed in a sample (n = 150) of consecutively admitted general psychiatric inpatients and compared with a group (n = 97) of adolescent patients with schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses. A stable fi ve-component solution, of which four were interpretable, was found acr oss groups. The component scales of the 24-item version of the BPRS ha d good internal consistency, allowed better coverage of schizophrenia and affective symptoms than the 18-item version but did not distinguis h the schizophrenia diagnostic subgroups. The implications of the find ings are discussed.