[Clinical assessment of schizophrenic syndrome (CASS): validity evaluation of the new diagnostic tool].

Aim: The aim of the study was an evaluation of validity measures of the CASS (Clinical Assessment of Schizophrenic Syndromes)--a new multi-purpose and multi-level clinical diagnostic instrument consisting of a diagnostic questionnaire (CASS-D) allowing to analyze a diagnosis of schizophrenia according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria as well as of three rating scales designed for description and intensity evaluation of schizophrenic syndromes on the global (CASS-G), dimensional (CASS-P, a profile of 13 basic dimensions) or symptomatological (CASS-S, a set of 31 symptoms) level.

Subjects: 194 inpatients consecutively admitted to the Department within approximately 6 months were assessed twice (at the start and end of their hospitalization) by 12 trained diagnosticians.

Method: Several measures of validity were analyzed.

[Clinical assessment of schizophrenic syndromes (CASS): rationale, construction, reliability and sensitivity evaluation, and an attempt at normalization of the new diagnostic tool].

Unlabelled: The CASS (Clinical Assessment of Schizophrenic Syndromes) is a new multi-purpose and multi-level clinical diagnostic instrument consisting of a diagnostic questionnaire (CASS-D) allowing for analysis of a diagnosis of schizophrenia according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria, as well as of three rating scales designed for description and intensity evaluation of schizophrenic syndromes on the global (CASS-G), dimensional (CASS-P, a profile of 13 basic dimensions) or symptomatological (CASS-S, a set of 31 symptoms) level.

Aim: The paper presents a rationale and construction principles of the tool followed by a study of its reliability and sensitivity as well as by preliminary attempt to normalize its results.

Subjects: Twelve trained diagnosticians assessed twice (at the start and end of their hospitalization) 194 inpatients admitted consecutively, within approximately 6 months, to the Department.

[Psychopathological profile of acute schizophrenic syndromes diagnosed according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria].

Diagnostic and symptomatological profiles of schizophrenic syndromes diagnosed according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV were compared. For this reason a group of patients fulfilling at least one of these sets of criteria was created and then diagnostic and symptomatological profile was compared between those who fulfilled the ICD-10 and those who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria. 105 inpatients hospitalized in acute phase of their first or one of consecutive episodes were included--102 of them had fulfilled ICD-10, and 90 DSM-IV criteria of schizophrenia.