Korean version of the diagnostic interview for genetic studies: Validity and reliability

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Psychometric Evaluation

Background:

• The Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies (DIGS) is a key tool for psychiatric research.
• Adaptation of diagnostic instruments is crucial for cross-cultural research and clinical application.
• Previous validation of DIGS exists, but its Korean adaptation required rigorous testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and validate the DIGS into Korean (DIGS-K).
• To assess the reliability (inter-rater, test-retest) and diagnostic validity of the DIGS-K.
• To evaluate DIGS-K's utility in diagnosing major psychiatric disorders in a Korean population.

Main Methods:

• Translation of the DIGS into Korean.
• Concurrent validity assessed against the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and clinical diagnoses in 53 patients.
• Inter-rater reliability tested in 24 patients.
• Test-retest reliability assessed in 17 patients.

Main Results:

• DIGS-K showed excellent overall and specific diagnostic validity for most diagnoses.
• Inter-rater and test-retest reliability ranged from fair to excellent for most diagnoses.
• Schizoaffective disorder showed fair test-retest reliability, but lower diagnostic validity and inter-rater reliability.

Conclusions:

• The DIGS-K is a reliable and valid diagnostic interview for major psychiatric disorders in Korean patients.
• The instrument shows strong psychometric properties for conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
• Further refinement may be needed for schizoaffective disorder diagnosis using DIGS-K.