Relapse Risk Assessment for Schizophrenia Patients (RASP): a New Self-Report Screening Tool.

OBJECTIVES: The Relapse Assessment for Schizophrenia Patients (RASP) was developed as a 6- question self-report screener that measures indicators of Increased Anxiety and Social Isolation to assess patient stability and predict imminent relapse. This paper describes the development and psychometric characteristics of the RASP.

METHODS: The RASP and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were administered to patients with schizophrenia (N=166) 3 separate times. Chart data were collected on a subsample of patients (n=81). Psychometric analyses of RASP included tests of reliability, construct validity, and concurrent validity of items. Factors from RASP were correlated with subscales from PANSS (sensitivity to change and criterion validity [agreement between RASP and evidence of relapse]).

RESULTS: Test-retest reliability returned modest to strong agreement at the item level and strong agreement at the questionnaire level. RASP showed good item response curves and internal consistency for the total instrument and within each of the 2 subscales (Increased Anxiety and Social Isolation). RASP Total Score and subscales showed good concurrent validity when correlated with PANSS Total Score, Positive, Excitement, and Anxiety subscales. RASP correctly predicted relapse in 67% of cases with good specificity and negative predictive power and acceptable positive predictive power and sensitivity.

CONCLUSION: The reliability and validity data presented support the use of RASP in settings where addition of a brief self-report assessment of relapse risk among patients with schizophrenia may be of benefit. Ease of use and scoring and the ability to administer without clinical supervision allows for routine administration and assessment of relapse risk.