--- title: "Symptom assessment in early psychosis: rating scales. | Sutter Health" description: "Symptom assessment in early psychosis research typically relies on scales validated in chronic schizophrenia samples. Our goal was to inform investigators who are selecting symptom scales for early psychosis research. We described measure characteristics, baseline scores, and scale inter-relationships in clinical-high-risk (CHR) and recent-onset psychotic disorder (RO) samples using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, and Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; for the CHR group only, we included the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms. For investigators selecting symptom measures in intervention or longitudinal studies, we also examined the relationship of symptom scales with psychosocial functioning. In both samples, symptom subscales in the same domain, across measures, were moderately to highly intercorrelated. Within all measures, positive symptoms were not correlated with negative symptoms, but disorganized symptoms overlapped with both positive and negative symptoms. Functioning was significantly related to negative and disorganized, but not positive, symptoms in both samples on most measures. Findings suggest strong overlap in symptom severity ratings among the most common scales. In recent-onset samples, each has strengths and weaknesses. In CHR samples, they appear to add little information above and beyond the SOPS." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/symptom-assessment-early-psychosis-rating-scales-1055312798" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Symptom assessment in early psychosis: rating scales. # Symptom assessment in early psychosis: The use of well-established rating scales in clinical high-risk and recent-onset populations. Fulford D, Pearson R, Stuart BK, Fisher M, Mathalon DH, Vinogradov S, & Loewy RL. _Psychiatry Res. 220(3):1077-83. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.07.047. Epub 2014 Aug 1._ 2014-12-30 ## Abstract Symptom assessment in early psychosis research typically relies on scales validated in chronic schizophrenia samples. Our goal was to inform investigators who are selecting symptom scales for early psychosis research. We described measure characteristics, baseline scores, and scale inter-relationships in clinical-high-risk (CHR) and recent-onset psychotic disorder (RO) samples using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, and Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; for the CHR group only, we included the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms. For investigators selecting symptom measures in intervention or longitudinal studies, we also examined the relationship of symptom scales with psychosocial functioning. In both samples, symptom subscales in the same domain, across measures, were moderately to highly intercorrelated. Within all measures, positive symptoms were not correlated with negative symptoms, but disorganized symptoms overlapped with both positive and negative symptoms. Functioning was significantly related to negative and disorganized, but not positive, symptoms in both samples on most measures. Findings suggest strong overlap in symptom severity ratings among the most common scales. In recent-onset samples, each has strengths and weaknesses. In CHR samples, they appear to add little information above and beyond the SOPS. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25278477) ## Research topics - [Mental Health](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Mental+Health%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Symptom dimensions and functional impairment in early psychosis: more to the story than just negative symptoms.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/symptoms-functional-impairment-in-early-psychosis-1055312610) Fulford D, Niendam TA, Floyd EG, Carter CS, Mathalon DH, Vinogradov S, Stuart BK, Loewy RL. Schizophr Res. 147(1):125-31. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.03.024. Epub 2013 Apr 12. 2013 Jun 01 - Publication ### [John & Marcia Goldman Foundation Donates $100K to Improve Behavioral Health in Teens](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/teen-behavioral-health-care-1055312809) Palo Alto Medical Foundation Marketing & Communications, Jan. 15, 2015 Palo Alto Medical Foundation Newsroom Blog 2015 Jan 15 - Publication ### [Emotion perception and quality of life in bipolar I disorder.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/emotion-perception-qol-in-bipolar-i-disorder-1055312597) Fulford D, Peckham AD, Johnson K, Johnson SL. J Affect Disord. 152-154:491-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.08.034. Epub 2013 Sep 7. 2014 Jan 01 - Publication ### [Pushing and coasting in dynamic goal pursuit: coasting is attenuated in bipolar disorder.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/coasting-is-attentuated-in-bipolar-disorder-1055312618) Fulford D, Johnson SL, Llabre MM, Carver CS. Psychol Sci. 21(7):1021-7. doi: 10.1177/0956797610373372. Epub 2010 Jun 2. 2010 Jul 01 - Publication ### [The double-edged sword of goal engagement: consequences of goal pursuit in bipolar disorder.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/consequences-of-goal-pursuit-in-bipolar-disorder-1055312605) Johnson SL, Fulford D, Carver CS. Clin Psychol Psychother. 19(4):352-62. doi: 10.1002/cpp.1801. Epub 2012 May 21. Review. 2012 Jul 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/symptom-assessment-early-psychosis-rating-scales-1055312798#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Symptom assessment in early psychosis: rating scales."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/symptom-assessment-early-psychosis-rating-scales-1055312798#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Symptom assessment in early psychosis: The use of well-established rating scales in clinical high-risk and recent-onset populations.","headline":"Symptom assessment in early psychosis: rating scales.","abstract":"Symptom assessment in early psychosis research typically relies on scales validated in chronic schizophrenia samples. Our goal was to inform investigators who are selecting symptom scales for early psychosis research. We described measure characteristics, baseline scores, and scale inter-relationships in clinical-high-risk (CHR) and recent-onset psychotic disorder (RO) samples using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, and Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; for the CHR group only, we included the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms. For investigators selecting symptom measures in intervention or longitudinal studies, we also examined the relationship of symptom scales with psychosocial functioning. In both samples, symptom subscales in the same domain, across measures, were moderately to highly intercorrelated. Within all measures, positive symptoms were not correlated with negative symptoms, but disorganized symptoms overlapped with both positive and negative symptoms. Functioning was significantly related to negative and disorganized, but not positive, symptoms in both samples on most measures. Findings suggest strong overlap in symptom severity ratings among the most common scales. In recent-onset samples, each has strengths and weaknesses. In CHR samples, they appear to add little information above and beyond the SOPS.","description":"Symptom assessment in early psychosis research typically relies on scales validated in chronic schizophrenia samples. Our goal was to inform investigators who are selecting symptom scales for early psychosis research. We described measure characteristics, baseline scores, and scale inter-relationships in clinical-high-risk (CHR) and recent-onset psychotic disorder (RO) samples using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, and Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms; for the CHR group only, we included the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms. For investigators selecting symptom measures in intervention or longitudinal studies, we also examined the relationship of symptom scales with psychosocial functioning. In both samples, symptom subscales in the same domain, across measures, were moderately to highly intercorrelated. Within all measures, positive symptoms were not correlated with negative symptoms, but disorganized symptoms overlapped with both positive and negative symptoms. Functioning was significantly related to negative and disorganized, but not positive, symptoms in both samples on most measures. Findings suggest strong overlap in symptom severity ratings among the most common scales. In recent-onset samples, each has strengths and weaknesses. 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