Research Article

Screening for personality disorder in probationers: Validation of the Standardised Assessment of Personality—Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS)

  1. G. Pluck1,*,
  2. C. Sirdifield2,
  3. C. Brooker2,
  4. P. Moran3

Article first published online: 8 AUG 2011

DOI: 10.1002/pmh.177

Issue

Personality and Mental Health

Personality and Mental Health

Volume 6, Issue 1, pages 61–68, February 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Pluck, G., Sirdifield, C., Brooker, C. and Moran, P. (2012), Screening for personality disorder in probationers: Validation of the Standardised Assessment of Personality—Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS). Personality and Mental Health, 6: 61–68. doi: 10.1002/pmh.177

Author Information

  1. 1

    Academic Clinical Psychiatry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

  2. 2

    Criminal Justice and Mental Health Group, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

  3. 3

    King's College London (Institute of Psychiatry), King's College London, London, UK

*Dr Graham Pluck, Academic Clinical Psychiatry, The University of Sheffield, The Longley Centre, Norwood Grange Drive, Sheffield, S5 7JT, UK. Email: g.pluck@sheffield.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 FEB 2012
  2. Article first published online: 8 AUG 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 14 JUN 2011
  4. Manuscript Revised: 11 MAR 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 11 OCT 2010

Funded by

  • NHS National Institute for Health Research, Research for Patient Benefit programme. Grant Number: PB-PG-0807-14022

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ABSTRACT

Personality disorder (PD) is an important indicator of future recidivism, and a brief assessment of PD would be of great value to those working in the criminal justice system. There is insufficient research on PD among probation populations. We examined the concurrent validity of a mini-interview for PD, the Standardised Assessment of Personality—Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS), by comparing its performance with that of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (SCID-II) in a sample of 40 individuals on probation in Lincolnshire, UK. The SCID-II identified 30/40 (75%) of the sample as having a PD. The most common category was antisocial PD, for which 20/40 (50%) were positive. A cut score of 3 on the SAPAS produced a good balance of sensitivity (0.73) and specificity (0.9) for case identification. We conclude that the SAPAS is a valid screening tool for PD among those on probation and is of potential value to those working in the criminal justice system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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