[Scharfetter's EPP (Ego-Psychopathology) questionnaire in Polish setting].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the basic indices of reliability, validity and feasibility of the Scharfetter's EPP questionnaire--a clinical tool for assessment of ego disorders according to the author's theoretical model.


METHODS
A group of 180 adults of clinically and demographically different characteristics were examined including 78 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, 51 patients with depression in the course of affective disorders according to the ICD-10 criteria and 51 healthy persons as a control group. A Polish version of the EPP questionnaire with a slightly modified method of evaluation of subjects' responses was studied. Psychopathology was evaluated with PANSS and KOSS scales and some aspects of the clinical course were noted.


RESULTS
A comparable percentage of positive responses was found between the EPP questionnaire in the original Scharfetter's Swiss group and the group under study. A high factor of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) both for the whole scale and its 5 dimensions were found. A relatively high correlation in the expected direction between the EPP and other psychopathology measures, as well as with basic characteristics of the course of the illness was established. Indices of disordered self-experience were significantly higher among patients with schizophrenia than with depression, and higher among both groups of patients then among healthy persons. Cluster analysis of EPP led to similar findings and allowed for distinguishing persons in the study into three clusters consisting mainly of: schizophrenic patients (highest profile), depressed patients (middle profile) and healthy persons (lowest profile).


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary, empirical evaluations of the Scharfetter's EPP questionnaire prove that its Polish version reveals rather satisfactory measures of reliability and validity, and observations suggest, that EPP can be successfully used in the clinical work with patients suffering from schizophrenia. The questionnaire indicates its clinical usefulness and prompts to further studies on the tool itself, as well as on the phenomenon of ego disorder for which it has been constructed.
Tyczyński
Krzysztof
K
I Kliniki Psychiatrycznej IPiN w Warszawie.
Wciórka
Jacek
J
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology