Standardised Assessment of Personality – Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS): Preliminary validation of a brief screen for personality disorder

Abstract

Background: There is a need for a brief and simple screen for personality disorders that can be used in routine psychiatric assessments.Aims: To test the concurrent validity and test–retest reliability of a brief screen for personality disorder.Method: Sixty psychiatric patients were administered a brief screening interview for personality disorder. On the same day, they were interviewed with an established assessment for DSM–IV personality disorder. Three weeks later, the brief screening interview was repeated in order to examine test–retest reliability.Results: A score of 3 on the screening interview correctly identified the presence of DSM–IV personality disorder in 90% of participants. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.94 and 0.85 respectively.Conclusions: The study provides preliminary evidence of the usefulness of the screen in routine clinical settings.