VALIDATION OF THE 16-ITEM NEGATIVE SYMPTOM ASSESSMENT

The dimensional structure of the 16-item Negative Symptom Assessment ( NSA-16) was validated in a sample of 223 unmedicated schizophrenic inp atients and cross-validated on an independent sample of 276 patients w ith schizophrenia. Using a confirmatory factor analytic procedure, a f ive factor model was found to best characterize the structure of this rating instrument. These factors include: Communication, Emotion/Affec t, Social Involvement, Motivation, and Retardation. The latent structu re of the NSA-16 is similar to the larger instrument from which it was derived. The findings provide support for a multidimensional model of negative symptoms in schizophrenia and offer a useful measure for the ir assessment.