Examination of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale factor structure and longitudinal relationships with functioning in early psychosis

Objective: To determine the change in positive, negative, and depressive symptoms after 1 year in an early psychosis program. Method: One hundred and eighty subjects were included from the first 257 admissions for a first episode of psychosis to a comprehensive early psychosis program. Most had a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder. Subjects were assessed on admission to the program and at 3, 6, and 12 months after admission. All 180 subjects completed the 1-year assessment. Assessment measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. Results: There was a clinically and statistically significant improvement in positive symptoms by 3 months, depression increased at 3 months but significantly improved by 12 months, and negative symptoms changed little over the first year. Conclusions: The differential changes in symptoms in the first year after admission have implications for treatment.

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Meta-analysis of the positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) factor structure

Journal of Psychiatric Research ◽

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.05.008 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 115 ◽

pp. 113-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Alan Shafer ◽

Federico Dazzi

Keyword(s):

Factor Structure ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Syndrome Scale ◽

Negative Syndrome

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The factor structure for the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in recent-onset psychosis

Schizophrenia Research ◽

10.1016/s0920-9964(02)00302-x ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 47-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 232

Author(s):

Robin Emsley ◽

Jonathan Rabinowitz ◽

Martijn Torreman

Keyword(s):

Factor Structure ◽

Recent Onset ◽

Syndrome Scale ◽

Negative Syndrome

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Large-Scale Evaluation of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) Symptom Architecture in Schizophrenia

10.1101/2020.08.10.20170662 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Keane Lim ◽

Oon-Him Peh ◽

Zixu Yang ◽

Gurpreet Rekhi ◽

Attilio Rapisarda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Factor Structure ◽

Large Scale ◽

Negative Symptoms ◽

Factor Model ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Temporal Stability ◽

Model Fit ◽

Syndrome Scale ◽

Ultra High Risk ◽

Negative Syndrome

Although the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) is widely utilized in schizophrenia research, variability in specific item loading exist, hindering reproducibility and generalizability of findings across schizophrenia samples. We aim to establish a common metric PANSS factor structure from a large multi-ethnic sample and validate it against a meta-analysis of existing PANSS models. Schizophrenia participants (N = 3511) included in the current study were part of the Singapore Translational and Clinical Research Program (STCRP) and the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials for Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted to identify the factor structure of PANSS and validated with a meta-analysis (N = 16,171) of existing PANSS models. Temporal stability of the PANSS model and generalizability to individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis were evaluated. A five-factor solution best fit the PANSS data. These were the i) Positive, ii) Negative, iii) Cognitive/disorganization, iv) Depression/anxiety and v) Hostility factors. Convergence of PANSS symptom architecture between EFA model and meta-analysis was observed. Modest longitudinal reliability was observed. The schizophrenia derived PANSS factor model fit the UHR population, but not vice versa. We found that two other domains, Social Amotivation (SA) and Diminished Expression (DE), were nested within the negative symptoms factor. Here, we report one of the largest transethnic factorial structures of PANSS symptom domains (N = 19,682). Evidence reported here serves as crucial consolidation of a common metric PANSS that could aid in furthering our understanding of schizophrenia.

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