title: Correlations between self-rating and observer-rating of psychopathology in at-risk mental state and first-episode psychosis patients: influence of disease stage and gender.
abstract: Research findings on the correlations between self-rating and observer-rating of schizophrenic psychopathology are inconsistent and have rarely considered first-episode psychosis (FEP) and at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis patients. This study investigates these correlations in ARMS and FEP patients and how they are moderated by disease stage and gender.
  
  
  
  In the Basel Früherkennung von Psychosen (FePsy) study, positive and negative psychotic and affective symptoms were rated in 126 ARMS and 94 FEP patients using two observer- and three self-rating scales. The agreement between self-rating and observer-rating and the moderating influence of disease stage and gender was quantified using Pearson correlation and multiple regression models.
  
  
  
  Correlations between self- and observer-rated subscales covering the same symptom dimension were low and mostly non-significant except for one correlation of positive and one of negative symptoms. There was no moderating influence of disease stage and gender on the correlations between self-rating and observer-rating except for one higher association in positive symptoms in FEP compared to ARMS and in women compared to men. However, these significant interaction effects did not withstand correction for multiple testing.
  
  
  
  This study suggests that the agreement between self-rating and observer-rating in FEP and ARMS patients is rather low, similar across symptom dimensions, and only partially dependent on disease stage and gender. However, low correlations between self-rating and observer-rating do not necessarily indicate that these patients have difficulties reporting their symptoms. They could also have occurred because the scales did not exactly cover the same symptom dimensions.
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spitz
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Studerus
authors.affiliation: University of Leipzig, Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koranyi
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Services, Treatment Center for Psychosis, Solothurn, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramyead
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ittig
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heitz
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uttinger
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, Center for Gender Research and Early Detection, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riecher-Rössler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: gender; observer-rating; psychosis; self-rating