Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of the Frontal Assessment Battery in Patients with Schizophrenia

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to test reliability and validity of the the Turkish version of Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) in the patient with schizophrenia. Methods: The study was carried out with 47 patients with schizophrenia who were recruited from Black-Sea Technical University (BTU) and 20 healthy controls. Internal consistency and test-retest of FAB was evaluated for reliability. Separate discriminant analyses were performed using the total score of FAB and the score of individual subblocks of FAB. Concurrent validity was evaluated using Color Trail Test (CTT) and Verbal Ažuency Test (VFT). Results: Criterion related to validity of the FAB was shown with significant correlation between the CTT first trial (CTT-1), CTT second trial (CTT-2), VFT on letters (VFT-L), VFT on category/animal (VFT-C) and VFT on mental control (VFT-MC) (between: 0.53-0.69). Regarding a validity of discriminating power for specific groups, the FAB showed that schizophrenic individuals performed significantly worse than healthy controls. The FAB showed acceptable test-retest reliability (r=0.71) and internal consistency (alpha: 0.65). Item total correlations were in the range 0.15 between 0.72. Conclusions: Internal reliability, test-retest and item-total score correlation, discriminating power for specific groups and criterion related to validity of the FAB indicated that the scale has acceptable reliability and validity for the patients with schizophrenia.