AUTHOR=Bajraktarov Stojan , Blazhevska Stoilkovska Biljana , Russo Manuela , Repišti Selman , Maric Nadja P. , Dzubur Kulenovic Alma , Arënliu Aliriza , Stevovic Lidija Injac , Novotni Ljubisha , Ribic Emina , Konjufca Jon , Ristic Ivan , Novotni Antoni , Jovanovic Nikolina 

TITLE=Factor structure of the brief psychiatric rating scale-expanded among outpatients with psychotic disorders in five Southeast European countries: evidence for five factors

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1207577

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1207577

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is a useful tool for measuring the severity of psychopathological symptoms among patients with psychosis. Many studies, predominantly in Western countries, have investigated its factor structure. This study aims: a) to further explore factor structure of the BPRS-Expanded version (BPRS-E, 24 items) among outpatients with psychotic disorders in Southeast European context; b) to confirm the identified model; and c) to investigate the goodness-of-fit of the three competing BPRS-E factor models derived in previous studies. The exploratory factor analysis produced a solution with 21 items grouped into 5 factors, thus supporting the existence of a fifth factor, i.e., Disorganization. A follow-up confirmatory factor analysis revealed 19-item model (with two items removed) that fitted the data well. In addition, the stability of two out of three competing factor models was confirmed. The BPRS-E model with 5 factors yielded in this cross-national study was found to include greater number of items in comparison to competing models.