The Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of Apathy Evaluation Scale and its Application in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Lee, Young Min; Park, Il Ho; Koo, Min Seong; Ko, Seon Young; Kang, Hyun Mook; Song, Jung Eun

doi:2013.16.2.80

Korean J Schizophr Res > Volume 16(2); 2013 > Article

Original Article

Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research 2013;16(2):80-85.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16946/kjsr.2013.16.2.80 Published online October 31, 2013.

The Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of Apathy Evaluation Scale and its Application in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Young Min Lee, Il Ho Park, Min Seong Koo, Seon Young Ko, Hyun Mook Kang, Jung Eun Song

¹Department of Psychiatry, Myongji Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
²Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea. eihpark@gmail.com

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) is one of the most frequently used scales to evaluate apathy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the AES (K-AES) and to apply the K-AES in examining the characteristics of apathy in the Korean patients with schizophrenia.
METHODS
129 healthy people and 29 patients with schizophrenia have been evaluated using the K-AES, Physical Anhedonia Scale (PAS), Social Anhedonia Scale (SAS), and the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Split-half reliability and internal consistency were evaluated and factor analysis and correlation analysis was conducted. Between-group comparison was conducted using independent sample t-tests.
RESULTS
K-AES showed good reliability and validity. Factor analysis confirmed 3 factors, which represented interest and drive, initiative, self-awareness and self-assessment. Patients with schizophrenia showed significantly higher K-AES and BDI scores than the healthy group. K-AES scores in patients with schizophrenia were significantly correlated with the PAS score, but did not correlate with SAS and BDI scores.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates the reliability and validity of the K-AES. Our findings also suggest that the K-AES may be a reliable instrument in assessing apathy as a negative symptom in patients with schizophrenia.

Key Words: Schizophrenia · Apathy · Anhedonia · Depression · Amotivation