Reliability and Stability of a Structured Diagnostic Interview in a Group of Incarcerated Criminal Offenders

• NCJ Number: 113907
• Journal: International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: (September 1988) Pages: 87-94
• Author(s): G D Walters; M L Chlumsky; L H Hemphill
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Fourteen state prison inmates were evaluated using a structured diagnostic interview, the Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview (PDI), by one of two staff psychologists.

Abstract

These subjects were then re-interviewed with the PDI by an outside staff psychologist from 14 to 29 (M-16.7) weeks later. A third PDI interview was conducted by the same staff psychologist who administered the first PDI. This third interview took place .5 to 1.6 (M=1.1) weeks after the second interview. Interrater agreement varied little as a function of time (16.7 vs. 1.1 weeks) or rater (staff vs outside psychologist) and was slightly higher for lifetime diagnosis (K=.58 to .72) than it was for Current diagnosis (K=.46 to .56). (Author abstract)