Diagnostic efficiency of the German version of the Standardized Assessment of Personality--Abbreviated Scale

Abstract

Background: About 30% of outpatients meet the criteria of a personality disorder (PD). When PD remains unnoticed or untreated, individuals with co-occurring PD benefit considerably less from disorder-related treatments for axis I disorders than patients without PD. The present study examines the diagnostic efficiency of the German version of the Standardized Assessment of Personality--Abbreviated Scale Self-Rating Version (SAPAS-SR).

Sampling and methods: Based on the signal detection theory, receiver operating characteristics as well as reliability and validity indicators are determined in a heterogeneous outpatient sample (n = 230).

Results: The values of internal consistency and the validity indicators turned out to be in the expected range. The area under the curve was low, at 0.67. Using the cutoff point of 4, sensitivity (80%) and specificity (46%) values were at a level that was only acceptable.

Conclusions: Since specificity was lower than in previous studies, using the SAPAS-SR results in a moderate cost efficiency only.