THE INTERRATER AND TEST-RETEST RELIABILITIES OF PRODROMAL SYMPTOMS INFIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS

Objective: As part of the DSM-IV field trial for psychotic disorders, the authors endeavoured to determine the reliability of the DSM-IV pro dromal features for schizophrenia in a first-episode sample. Method: F ifty first-episode psychotic patients were assessed using a semistruct ured instrument to determine the presence/absence of nine prodromal sy mptoms, Inter-rater reliability data were calculated for 25 of the pat ients, and test-retest data were calculated for the remaining 25 patie nts. Results: Levels of reliability were poor. Conclusions: The result s lend some support to American Psychiatric Association and World Heal th Organization decisions to omit specific criteria for prodromal feat ures from their respective nosologies.