A validity study of the SSAGA - a comparison with the SCAN

Objective. This study examined the concurrent diagnostic validity of the Se mi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA) across alco hol and drug dependencies, major depression, anxiety disorders and ASPD. Th e Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) was selected a s the comparison instrument because it arises fi om a different tradition a nd uses a different format for its administration. The SCAN has been shown to be valid and applicable cross-culturally. Method. Subjects included 38 m en and 42 women volunteers from another study and from an outpatient psychi atry clinic. Selected sections a both the SSAGA and the SCAN interviews wer e administered to all subjects, approximately 1 week apart, in a randomized order. Because the SCAN does not assess Antisocial Personality Disorder (A SPD), the ASPD section of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R ( SCID) was substituted for this comparison. Results. The Kappa statistic was used to measure concordance between the two instruments. Kappa for alcohol dependence was in the acceptable range (0.63). Kappas were lower for sedat ive dependence (0.48) and for cannabis dependence (0.53), but higher for co caine and stimulant dependence (0.85) and for opioid dependence (0.73). Kap pa for major depression and the ASPD diagnoses were high (0.71 and 070), bu t slightly lower agreement was found for panic disorder (0.62). Kappa for s ocial phobia was 0.47. Conclusion. These data, combined with results from t wo previous studies which examined reliability, indicate that the SSAGA is a highly reliable and valid instrument for use in studies of a variety of p sychiatric disorders, including alcohol and drug dependence.