Study I: Development and criterion validity of the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes (ChIPS)

Objective: To test the psychometric properties of the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes (ChIPS), a second-generation structured diagnosti c interview designed to improve on the methodology provided by first-genera tion structured interviews, which have increased diagnostic reliability ove r unstructured clinical interviews. Method: Forty-two children hospitalized on a children's inpatient unit were administered the ChIPS and the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adole scents (DICA), The level of agreement regarding syndrome presence or absenc e of 15 diagnoses according to the two instruments was assessed using a sta ndard kappa coefficient or a rare kappa coefficient and percentage agreemen t. Results: Agreement between the two instruments was significant (p < 0.05) f or 13 of 14 diagnoses for which either kappa coefficient could be calculate d. Percentage agreement was 98% and 100% for the remaining two diagnoses. C hIPS and DICA results also were compared with a psychiatrist's diagnoses. S ensitivity was 80% for ChIPS and 61% for DICA, Specificity was 78% for ChIP S and 87% for DICA, Conclusion: ChIPS is proposed as a valid measure of child psychopathology t hat offers advantages over existing interviews.