Reliability and validity of Kasahara's scale of melancholic type of personality (Typus melancholicus) in a German sample population

We explored the reliability and validity of Kasahara's scale of melancholic type of personality (KMT) in a German sample population. Subjects comprise d 66 patients diagnosed with an affective disorder (F3, ICD-10) and 94 cont rols. Concerning reliability, KMT scores showed internal consistency with C ronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.65 for patients and 0.67 for controls. Th e KMT items, except for number 13 in controls, showed significant item-tota l correlations. In a test-retest procedure, the KMT total score and individ ual item scores were statistically similar and correlated. These results in dicate reliability of the KMT. Concerning validity, KMT scores were signifi cantly higher in patients than in controls. By controlling the effects of a ge and sex, partial correlation coefficients in a comparison of KMT and Zer ssen's F-List (F-List) scores were 0.40 in patients and 0.53 in controls. T hese results show both the constructive and concurrent validity of the KMT. Sufficient reliability and validity of the KMT were shown in this German s ample population to encourage cross-cultural investigation of Typus melanch olicus.