Detection of clinical high risk for psychosis in child and adolescent mental health services: Validation of the first step with the French versions of the Prodromal Questionnaire (fPQ‐16) and scale of Perceptual and Cognitive Aberrations (fPCA)

Abstract

Aim To validate the French versions of the 16‐items Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ‐16) and the 9‐items scale of Perceptual and Cognitive Aberrations (PCA) to facilitate screening of psychosis risk in native French‐speaking young individuals referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Method Participants (N = 87, age range 10—18 years) were diagnosed with a non‐psychotic disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The French versions of the PQ‐16 and PCA were developed using a forward–backward translation procedure. Psychometric properties were tested including (i) internal validity with Pearson correlations and Cronbach's coefficients, and (ii) external validity by correlations with each other's. Results (i) Correlations between fPQ‐16 and fPCA total scores and individual items were mostly >.4. Cronbach's coefficients were .80 for the fPQ‐16 and .61 for the fPCA. (ii) The fPQ‐16 and fPCA total scores were significantly correlated with a large effect size (rs = 0.66). Conclusion The fPQ‐16 and the fPCA are psychometrically acceptable instruments for the screening of potential psychotic symptoms in French‐speaking children and young adolescents under 18 years old referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.