Further Validation and Test-Retest Reliability of the Spanish Version of the Standardised Assessment of Personality - Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS) for Personality Disorder Screening in Community Mental Health Settings

Abstract

Background: Personality Disorders (PDs) are a critical public health issue frequently misdiagnosed and underdiagnosed in mental health services. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the reliability, validity and repeatability of the Spanish version of the Standardised Assessment of Personality - Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS), a short and self-administered scale for PD diagnosis and screening.

Methods: This longitudinal study was performed using a 107-patient sample who attended community mental health services and outpatient clinics. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to determine concurrent validity by comparing the SAPAS with the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE), thus establishing sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value for several cut-off points. Repeatability was measured by calculating an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) between an initial SAPAS administration and a second one carried out 30 days later.

Results: The Area Under the Curve (AUC) was found to be 0.84. A cut-off point of 3 provided 90% sensitivity and 52% specificity and correctly classified 71% of the cases. The ICC for the two SAPAS measures was 0.88.

Conclusion: Our Spanish translation for the SAPAS proves to be a reliable, valid and consistent PD screening tool in mental health settings.