The Study of Psychometric Properties of Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B)

Abstract

The different scales for assessing schizotypal traits were developed from different perspectives. These scales confined themselves only to certain aspects (syndromes) of the schizotypal personality, and they do not represent the nine features of schizotypal personality outlined in DSM-IV-TR. In contrast the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire and its brief version are symptom-oriented and more comprehensive scales based on clinical features of schizotypal personality disorder described by the DSM. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B). The current study was conducted in survey and cross sectional as well as ex-post facto research context. In order to study the reliability and validity of the SPQ-B, its items were translated into Persian and then retranslated into English. A group of 402 normal participants (160 males &242 females) from colleges of Allameh Tabatabaie University took part in this research. Principal Component Analysis with promax rotation for SPQ-B extracted three factors which were labeled cognitive perceptual deficits, interpersonal deficits, and disorganization factors, respectively, and accounted for 32.64% of the variance. However, for this scale two other types of validity (convergent validity &intercorrelations between subscales and the whole scale) and two reliabilities (test retest &internal consistency) were reported. Based on these results, it was concluded that SPQ-B possesses good validity and reliability in Iranian population and it can be used, as a valid measure, in psychological and psychiatric research. The results of this study also support prior findings of gender differences in schizotype scores.