Validation and psychometric properties of the bipolar prodrome symptom interview and scale-full prospective Chinese version to assess individuals at risk for bipolar disorder.

Abstract

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic, severe mental illness with a significant socio-economic burden. The early recognition of BD requires reliable and valid instruments.

Objective: We evaluated the psychometric attributes of the Bipolar Prodrome Symptom Interview and Scale-Full Prospective (BPSS-FP)-Chinese version.

Methods: Altogether, 129 participants, aged 16-35 years meeting DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 27) or BD (n = 76), and 26 healthy controls were recruited. Subjects were evaluated with the BPSS-FP Chinese version, Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Cyclothymic-Hypersensitive Temperament questionnaire (CHT). Internal consistency, interrater reliability, criterion validity, and discriminant validity of the BPSS-FP-Chinese version were assessed.

Results: Cronbach alpha indices were 0.87, 0.86, and 0.66 for the manic, depressive, and general subscales of BPSS-FP-Chinese version, respectively. Interrater correlation was high, with total agreements of 0.94, 0.95, and 0.94 for the manic, depressive, and general index, respectively. Significant correlations (r ≥ 0.50) were noted between the BPSS-FP manic subscale and both the YMRS and CHT, the depressive subscale and the MADRS, and the general symptom subscale and the CHT. Moderate correlations were detected between the BPSS-FP general symptoms and both the YMRS and CHT (r = 0.40 ~ <0.50). Furthermore, the BPSS-FP mania index demonstrated a moderate correlation with the MADRS, while the depression index had a small correlation with the YMRS (r = 0.10 ~ <0.40).

Conclusions: The BPSS-FP-Chinese version has good psychometric properties and can be applied in both clinical and research settings for screening subjects with a risk for BD.