[Review Model for the Assessment of Psychometric Instruments--Recommendations of the German College of Psychosomatic Medicine (DKPM)].
OBJECTIVE
Psychometric instruments are commonly applied in psychotherapeutic research and care for the baseline assessment of symptoms, the planning of therapeutic interventions, the assessment of the longitudinal course of symptoms and outcomes of therapeutic interventions as well as quality management of care. Psychometric properties as well as economic aspects should be considered in the selection of specific instruments. It is assumed that users of psychometric instruments face a great variety of instruments and related information. For that reason, it seems challenging to absorb the current knowledge and to integrate it into clinical practice and research. Thus, it is likely that well-known, established and easily accessible instruments are commonly used, while new developed instruments might not be disseminated in research and healthcare.


METHODS
Based on available international review models, the working group "Psychometrics and Psychodiagnostics" of the German College of Psychosomatic Medicine (DKPM) has developed and tested a review model specifically tailored for psychotherapeutic research and care.


RESULTS
The different steps of development, as well as the final review model based on the consensus of the working group are presented. The review model contains 6 generic terms (reliability, validity, objectivity, reference groups and aspects of application) with 21 different criteria to be assessed with 0-3 asterisks (*). The criteria are clearly operationalized and the practical use of the review model is explained and discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
With the review model for the assessment of psychometric instruments a well-defined evaluation system is made available for research and clinical practice which has been developed by an expert group. The review model facilitates systematic, transparent and comparative evaluation of psychometric instruments along clearly defined criteria. It also supports the selection of psychometric instruments in research and care. Next, the working group aims at disseminating and implementing the review model as well as the application and publication of reviews for different psychometric instruments based on the review model.
Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Universität Leipzig.
Heide
H
Glaesmer
Institut für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Uniklinik der RWTH Aachen.
Thomas
T
Forkmann
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München.
Andreas
A
Dinkel
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München.
Inka
I
Wahl
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München.
Heribert
H
Sattel
Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Klinikum München-Harlaching.
Dorothea
D
Huber
Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Universität Leipzig.
Lena
L
Spangenberg
Institut und Poliklinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf.
Sven
S
Rabung
Institut für Psychologie, Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt, Österreich.
Sylke
S
Andreas
Abteilung für Psychosomatische Medizin, Universität Regensburg.
Karin
K
Tritt
Fachbereich Angewandte Humanwissenschaften, Rehabilitationspsychologie, Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal.
Gabriele Helga
GH
Franke
Charite-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik.
Matthias
M
Rose
Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf & Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek.
Bernd
B
Löwe
D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D011611:Psychosomatic Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires