Catatonia Spectrum: Validation of a Questionnaire Investigating Catatonia Spectrum

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychometrics
• Mental Health Assessment

Background:

• A dimensional approach to mental disorders is increasingly recognized.
• Catatonia exists on a spectrum, from severe to subthreshold presentations.
• Existing assessment tools may not fully capture this spectrum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the psychometric properties of the Catatonia Spectrum (CS) questionnaire.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the CS for measuring catatonia dimensions.
• To evaluate the CS's performance across different diagnostic groups.

Main Methods:

• 86 adults with catatonia, 81 with borderline personality disorder (BPD), 104 with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 105 controls (CTL) were recruited.
• Participants completed the Catatonia Spectrum (CS) questionnaire, Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS), and Bush-Francis Catatonia Screening Instrument (BFCSI).
• Psychometric properties, including internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity, were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The CS demonstrated high internal consistency and excellent test-retest reliability for total and domain scores.
• CS domain and total scores showed significant positive correlations with each other and with alternative catatonia measures.
• Significant differences in CS scores were observed across diagnostic groups, with scores progressively increasing from CTL to MDD, BPD, and catatonia groups.

Conclusions:

• The CS questionnaire exhibits excellent psychometric properties, including reliability and convergent validity.
• The CS effectively differentiates between diagnostic groups, reflecting a spectrum of catatonia severity.
• The CS is a valuable tool for assessing the dimensional aspects of catatonia.