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The discriminative validity of the Whitaker Index of Schizophrenic Thinking
C S Newmark1, M Simpson, T Jones
1Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27514, USA.
Abstract:
An attempt was made to assess the discriminative validity of the WIST with a sample of psychiatric inpatients. Through the use of a standardized structured interview and a diagnostic system for schizophrenia based on the use of discriminant function analysis with nonpathognomic symptom combinations, a reliable and valid system was used to establish the criterion diagnosis. Approximately 63% of patients reliably diagnosed as schizophrenic were detected via the WIST while only 14% of nonschizophrenic patients scored in the schizophrenic range on the WIST. The assets and liabilities of using the WIST to diagnose schizophrenia are discussed.
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