Structured assessment of current mental state in clinical practice: an international study of the reliability and validity of the Current Psychiatric State interview, CPS-50.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a reliable standardized assessment of psychiatric symptoms for use in clinical practice.


METHODS
A 50-item interview, the Current Psychiatric State 50 (CPS-50), was used to assess 237 patients with a range of psychiatric diagnoses. Ratings were made by interviewers after a 2-day training. Comparisons of inter-rater reliability on each item and on eight clinical subscales were made across four international centres and between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. A principal components analysis was used to validate these clinical scales.


RESULTS
Acceptable inter-rater reliability (intra-class coefficient > 0.80) was found for 46 of the 50 items, and for all eight subscales. There was no difference between centres or between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. The principal components analysis factors were similar to the clinical scales.


CONCLUSIONS
The CPS-50 is a reliable standardized assessment of current mental status that can be used in clinical practice by all mental health professionals after brief training.
Falloon
I R H
IR
OTP European Coordinating Centre, ARIETE, Perugia, Italy. 100130.3310@compuserve.com
Mizuno
M
M
Murakami
M
M
Roncone
R
R
Unoka
Z
Z
Harangozo
J
J
Pullman
J
J
Gedye
R
R
Held
T
T
Hager
B
B
Erickson
D
D
Burnett
K
K
D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013223:Statistics as Topic