Initial Psychometric Properties of the Korean Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale: Preliminary Validation Study in a Non-Clinical Sample.

Objective: We aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Korean Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (K-ASRM) in a large sample of Korean non-clinical undergraduates.

Methods: Participants (n=1,091) filled out the K-ASRM with other self-report questionnaires assessing bipolarity, mood symptoms and affect. Reliability test, exploratory factor analysis and correlation analyses were conducted to examine its psychometric properties.

Results: The reliability of the K-ASRM was adequate (Cronbach's α=0.73, item-to-total correlation 0.53-0.78) and the exploratory factor analysis yielded one factor of mania. The K-ASRM demonstrated significant associations with measures of hypomanic personality (r=0.33), lifetime history of hypomanic symptoms (r=0.23). Also, the K-ASRM was significantly correlated with positive affect (r=0.53), negative affect (r=-0.17) and depressive symptoms (r=-0.35).

Conclusion: These results suggest preliminary possibility that the K-ASRM can be utilized as self-rating tool for mania in Korea as well as future directions for further validation.