Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Chinese Version: reliability and validity

Objective To investigate the psychometric characteristics of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Chinese Version (PDSS-CV). Method One hundred and five outpatients with panic attack in Beijing Anding Hospital were assessed with the PDSS-CV, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA14) and Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI). Results (1)The confirmation factor analysis result of the two-factor model of PDSS-CV was χ2/df=1.16, GFI=0.96，RMSEA=0.04. (2)The total scores of PDSS-CV was correlated with CGI score (r=0.85,P<0.05), and positively correlated with the HAMA score (r=0.56, P<0.05). (3)The internal consistency reliability was 0.83，the total test-retest correlation coefficient was 0.95, the test-retest coefficients of each item were 0.72-0.95，the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC) among raters was 0.94, the ICCs between each item were 0.72-0.92. (4)The PDSS-CV cut-off scores for severity were as follows: score 8-10 was slight; 11-13 was moderate; 14-16 was marked, and 17 and above was the most severity. Conclusion The PDSS-CV has good psychometric features and can be used for clinical and research assessment of panic disorder in China. Key words: Panic disorder; Reliability; Validity; Panic Disorder Severity Scale