[Evaluation of standardized training for the "Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale" (PANSS)]

The present analysis comprises 3 studies on the interrater reliability of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS; German version). To our knowledge this is the first empirical report on interrater reliability and on results of rater training of the German version of the PANSS despite the widespread use of the scale. In a total of 47 training participants with different clinical experience standardized PANSS rater training was carried out and subsequently evaluated. Therefore, concordance rates with an expert standard (C) and weighted coefficients kappa (kappa W) were calculated. As a main outcome of the studies, at least 3 training sessions were necessary but also sufficient to reach acceptable interrater reliability of the PANSS (C > 80%, kw > 0.60). In training participants with low psychiatric experience the level of interrater reliability of schizophrenic negative symptoms did not reach the results of positive symptoms after the training. Despite some conceptual limitations with respect to negative symptoms, the German version of the PANSS seems highly suitable to assess a broad spectrum of schizophrenic psychopathology in a reliable and economic manner. The present results also underline the practicability of our recommendations for conducting PANSS rater training in the clinical and scientific field as part of quality control and quality assurance in psychopathological assessment.