Validity of reliability: comparison of interrater reliabilities of psychopathological symptoms.
We have tested the stability of interrater reliability of psychiatric symptoms over a quarter of century using 2 rating scales. Interrater reliabilities of items of 2 psychiatric rating scales employed by 2 consecutive follow-ups were compared. Interrater reliabilites proved to be by and large stable. Interrater reliability depends on the standard deviation of the items scores. In addition to the traditional approach, a new statistical method for unifying the assessments from multiple raters is also presented. Using this method, we demonstrated that probabilities of correct ratings are higher in the absence of manifest symptoms, or in the presence of symptoms, as compared with cases characterized by middle scores. To interpret the relationships revealed in the setting of the experiment, we introduce for its theoretical designation the term "validity of reliability." It is recommended for evaluation of results of rating scales in the context of psychiatric nosology.
Pethõ
Bertalan
B
Society of Research of Endogenous Psychoses "2000", Budapest, Hungary. bpetho@enternet.hu
Tusnády
Gábor
G
Vargha
András
A
Tolna
Judit
J
Farkas
Márta
M
Vizkeleti
Györgyi
G
Tóth
Agoston
A
Szilágyi
András
A
Bitter
István
I
Kelemen
András
A
Czobor
Pál
P
D000367:Age Factors; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011336:Probability; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016008:Statistical Distributions