Lorenzo Pelizza1, Federica Paterlini1, Silvia Azzali1, Sara Garlassi1, Ilaria Scazza1, Simona Pupo2, Magenta Simmons3,4, Barnaby Nelson3,4, Andrea Raballo5. 1. Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Reggio Emilia Public Health Centre, Reggio Emilia, Italy. 2. Intensive Care Unit, Guastalla Civil Hospital, Reggio Emilia Public Health Centre, Reggio Emilia, Italy. 3. Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 4. Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 5. Department of Psychology, Childhood and Development Research Group, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Abstract
AIM: The Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) was specifically developed to assess and detect young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) of developing psychosis. The current study was undertaken to test the reliability and validity of the authorized Italian version of the CAARMS (CAARMS-ITA) in a help-seeking population. METHODS: Psychometric properties of the CAARMS-ITA were established using a sample of 223 Italian adolescents and young adults aged between 13 and 35 years, who were divided into 3 groups according to the CAARMS criteria: UHR-negative individuals (UHR [-]; n = 64), UHR-positive (UHR [+]; n = 55) and individuals with a first-episode psychosis (FEP; n = 104). The CAARMS-ITA's reliability was tested measuring interrater reliability and internal consistency. Construct validity was tested comparing the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and CAARMS-ITA subscale scores across groups (ie, UHR [-], UHR [+] and FEP). For concurrent validity, we studied correlations between symptoms of the CAARMS-ITA and their equivalents in the PANSS. Finally, the predictive validity was examined by following up with UHR [+] individuals. The 12-month transition rate to psychosis was calculated. RESULTS: The CAARMS-ITA showed good interrater reliability. The PANSS "Positive Symptoms" subscale scores in UHR [+] individuals were intermediate between FEP and UHR [-] groups. The positive and negative symptoms scores of the CAARMS-ITA significantly correlated with the corresponding scores of the PANSS. After 12 months, 4 of 41 (9.8%) UHR [+] individuals had transitioned to psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: The CAARMS-ITA is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing and detecting at-risk mental states in Italian clinical settings. It also appears to be helpful in the prediction of psychosis transition.
AIM: The Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) was specifically developed to assess and detect young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) of developing psychosis. The current study was undertaken to test the reliability and validity of the authorized Italian version of the CAARMS (CAARMS-ITA) in a help-seeking population. METHODS: Psychometric properties of the CAARMS-ITA were established using a sample of 223 Italian adolescents and young adults aged between 13 and 35 years, who were divided into 3 groups according to the CAARMS criteria: UHR-negative individuals (UHR [-]; n = 64), UHR-positive (UHR [+]; n = 55) and individuals with a first-episode psychosis (FEP; n = 104). The CAARMS-ITA's reliability was tested measuring interrater reliability and internal consistency. Construct validity was tested comparing the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and CAARMS-ITA subscale scores across groups (ie, UHR [-], UHR [+] and FEP). For concurrent validity, we studied correlations between symptoms of the CAARMS-ITA and their equivalents in the PANSS. Finally, the predictive validity was examined by following up with UHR [+] individuals. The 12-month transition rate to psychosis was calculated. RESULTS: The CAARMS-ITA showed good interrater reliability. The PANSS "Positive Symptoms" subscale scores in UHR [+] individuals were intermediate between FEP and UHR [-] groups. The positive and negative symptoms scores of the CAARMS-ITA significantly correlated with the corresponding scores of the PANSS. After 12 months, 4 of 41 (9.8%) UHR [+] individuals had transitioned to psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: The CAARMS-ITA is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing and detecting at-risk mental states in Italian clinical settings. It also appears to be helpful in the prediction of psychosis transition.
Authors: Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo; Livia Soardo; Anna Cabras; Joana Pereira; Simi Kaur; Filippo Besana; Vincenzo Arienti; Francesco Coronelli; Jae Il Shin; Marco Solmi; Natalia Petros; Andre F Carvalho; Philip McGuire; Paolo Fusar-Poli Journal: Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci Date: 2022-01-19 Impact factor: 6.892