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A large-scale validation study of the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS)
Laura Fialko1, Philippa A Garety, Elizabeth Kuipers
1Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, University of London, UK. l.fialko@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Schizophrenia Research
|December 18, 2007
Summary
This study evaluated the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) in a larger psychosis sample. Results indicate moderate to weak validity, suggesting a specific factor score may be a better measure of adherence.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Medication adherence is crucial for managing psychosis outcomes.
- The Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) is a self-report tool for assessing adherence.
- Previous validation of MARS used a small sample size.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the psychometric properties of the MARS in a larger, more diverse sample of individuals with psychosis.
- To re-evaluate the reliability and validity of the MARS scale.
- To compare the MARS total score with keyworker ratings of adherence.
Main Methods:
- Administered the MARS to 277 individuals with psychosis.
- Included measures of insight and psychopathology.
- Obtained independent keyworker ratings of medication adherence.
Main Results:
- Internal consistency of the MARS was adequate but lower than in the original study.
- Concurrent validity between MARS total score and keyworker ratings was moderate to weak.
- The three-factor structure of the MARS was replicated.
Conclusions:
- The MARS demonstrates adequate internal consistency but limited concurrent validity in a larger psychosis sample.
- A specific factor score (Factor 1) of the MARS may be a more reliable indicator of adherence behavior than the total score.
- Further research is needed to refine adherence measurement tools in psychosis populations.