title: The Patient Assessment Questionnaire: initial validation of a measure of treatment effectiveness for patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
abstract: Investigation of patients' subjective perspective regarding the effectiveness - as opposed to efficacy - of antipsychotic medication has been hampered by a relative shortage of self-report measures of global clinical outcome. This paper presents data supporting the feasibility, inter-item consistency, and construct validity of the Patient Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ)-a self-report measure of psychiatric symptoms, medication side effects and general wellbeing, ultimately intended to assess effectiveness of interventions for schizophrenia-spectrum patients. The original 53-item instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary team which utilized brainstorming sessions for item generation and content analysis, patient focus groups, and expert panel reviews. This instrument and additional validation measures were administered, via Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI), to 300 stable, medicated outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Item elimination was based on psychometric properties and Item-Response Theory information functions and characteristic curves. Exploratory factor analysis of the resulting 40-item scale yielded a five factor solution. The five subscales (General Distress, Side Effects, Psychotic Symptoms, Cognitive Symptoms, Sleep) showed robust convergent (β's=0.34-0.75, average β=0.49) and discriminant validity. The PAQ demonstrates feasibility, reliability, and construct validity as a self-report measure of multiple domains pertinent to effectiveness. Future research needs to establish the PAQ's sensitivity to change.
authors: Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, Mental Health Department, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors: Ramin
authors: R
authors: Mojtabai
authors: Patricia K
authors: PK
authors: Corey-Lisle
authors: Edward Hak-Sing
authors: EH
authors: Ip
authors: Irina
authors: I
authors: Kopeykina
authors: Sophia
authors: S
authors: Haeri
authors: Lisa Janet
authors: LJ
authors: Cohen
authors: Sally
authors: S
authors: Shumaker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents