Psychometric properties of Conversion Disorder Scale- Revised (CDS) for children

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Child Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Conversion disorder is a complex condition affecting children.
• Existing assessment tools may require refinement for accurate diagnosis.
• Standardized and validated scales are crucial for clinical practice and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To revise the existing conversion disorder scale.
• To establish the psychometric properties of the revised scale.
• To create a reliable and valid screening tool for conversion disorder in children.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 240 schoolchildren (120 with conversion disorder, 120 controls).
• Expert consultation to generate items, followed by expert ratings and empirical validation.
• Factor analysis was conducted on the finalized 40-item scale.

Main Results:

• Factor analysis identified five key symptom clusters: swallowing/speech, motor, sensory, weakness/fatigue, and mixed symptoms.
• The revised scale demonstrated high concurrent validity (0.81) and discriminant validity (p<0.001).
• Excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.91) and good sensitivity (76%) and specificity (73%) were observed.

Conclusions:

• The revised conversion disorder scale is a psychometrically sound instrument.
• The scale is reliable and valid for screening children suspected of having conversion disorder.
• This tool can aid clinicians in the early identification and management of conversion disorder.