Reliability of the Washington University in St. Louis Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (WASH-U-KSADS) mania and rapid cycling sections

Objective: To investigate the reliability of the Washington University in S t. Fouls Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (WASH-U- KSADS) mania and rapid cycling sections. Method: The 1986 version of the KS ADS was modified and expanded to include onset and offset of each symptom f or both current and lifetime episodes, expanded prepubertal mania and rapid cycling sections, and categories for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disor der and other DSM-IV diagnoses. To optimize diagnostic research, skip-outs were minimized. Subjects participated in the ongoing "Phenomenology and Cou rse of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder" study. Mothers and children were intervi ewed separately by research nurses who were blind to diagnostic group statu s. In addition, ratings of oft-site child psychiatrists, made from the narr ative documentation given for each WASH-U-KSADS item, were compared with re search nurse ratings. This work was performed between 1995 and 2000. Result s: There was 100% interrater reliability, five consecutive times, as both i nterviewer and observer after 10 to 15 trials. The x values of comparisons between research nurse and off-site blind best-estimate ratings of mania an d rapid cycling sections were excellent (0.74-1.00). High B-month stability for mania diagnoses (85.7%) and for individual mania items and validity ag ainst parental and teacher reports were previously reported. Conclusions: T he WASH-U-KSADS mania and rapid cycling sections have acceptable reliabilit y.