Reliability of the telephone interview in diagnosing anxiety disorders

The reliability of psychiatric diagnosis using the Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version in personal and telephone interviews with 39 subjects was assessed using a 12- to 19-month test-retest design. Interrater reliability was high (kappa, .69 to .84) for the diagnosis of panic disorder, agoraphobia with panic attacks, probable panic disorder, major depression, and alcohol abuse. We conclude that it is possible to reliably make these lifetime diagnoses in a family study using the telephone interview.