Objective: To determine a method, based on client preferences, to weight the 51 items of the Schizophrenia Outcomes Assessment Project (SOAP-51), a schizophrenic-specific quality of life instrument. Methodology: Thirty-two individuals with schizophrenia, giving informed consent, completed surveys and participated in qualitative interviews at their local community psychiatric clinics. Each responded to 8 of the 51 items using 6 response formats; horizontal verbal 10-cm with intermediate numbers of 1-3 (A) or 0-100 (B), "verbal feeling thermometer" (C), verbal only (D), horizontal verbal 10-cm (E), and vertical verbal with intermediate numbers of 0-100 (F). Participants were interviewed to ascertain their favorite, second favorite and least favorite scale. A chi-square analysis was used to determine if observed versus expected responses differed within consumers' favorite, second favorite, and least favorite scales. Results: Scales B (8/32), C (7/32) and D (8/32) were preferred more often than scales A (3/32), E (3/32) and F (1/32) (p<0.1). When first and second favorite scales were combined, chi-square became significant (p<0.001). Among the three favorite scale formats, consumers' least favorite scales were scales B (6/32) and C (11/32). None selected Scale D as their least favorite. Thus, based on consumers' most, second most, and least favorite preferences, Scale D, the verbal only format, is preferred by individuals with schizophrenia living in the community. Conclusions: Consumers have preferences for item weighting scale formats which should be considered in the development of quality of life measures.
Learning Objectives: 1.During this session, faculty will discuss a method for rating preferences in scale formatting for quality of life measures. 2. During this session, faculty will demonstrate which scales were prefered by individuals with schizophrenia living in the community. 3.At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: A. Describe a procedure for assessing scale formating preferences of study participants. B. List scale formats preferred by individuals with schizophrenia living in the community
Keywords: Assessments, Mental Disorders
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: none
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.