A dimensional approach to severe delusional psychoses.
By use of latent trait models a 7-item rating scale of severe delusional psychoses was established based on the PSE interview. Data from 88 first-admitted patients with delusional psychoses were analysed. These data assigned good internal validity of the scale and revealed a dimensional rather than a categorical distribution of severe delusional psychoses. Using schizophrenia as a reference, the scale with a cut-off point greater than or equal to 1 established the diagnosis with a sensitivity of 0.84 and a specificity of 0.95. In a study to come a latent class analysis among deluded patients will be performed.
Institute of Psychiatric Demography, Aarhus Psychiatric Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
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P
Jørgensen
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J
Jensen
D003702:Delusions / Q000523:psychology*; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology