Reliability, validity and utility of the Fitness Interview Test

Psychiatrists are being asked more and more often by the courts to determine whether or not criminal defendants are fit to stand trial. However, the Criminal Code provides few statutory guidelines on what constitutes fitness to stand trial. Perhaps as a result of the lack of standards, psychiatrists have typically relied on traditional clinical assessment procedures in determining whether or not an individual is fit to stand trial. In an effort to improve the quality and consistency of forensic assessments, researchers have designed instruments to assess fitness to stand trial. In Canada, the Fitness Interview Test (FIT) was developed for this purpose. This study evaluated the FIT for its validity, reliability and utility in the assessment of fitness. The FIT was found to have excellent interrater reliability and scale homogeneity. In addition, it was able to discriminate between groups of defendants rates as being fit and or unfit to stand trial. The scale did not seem to be differentially sensitive to the diverse facets of fitness, which may be attributed to the format and content of the scale items. Caution is advised in the use of the FIT pending revision of the scale.