Test-Retest Reliability of Standardized Diagnostic Interviews for Common Adult Psychiatric Disorders

What is the pooled test-retest reliability of standardized diagnostic interviews for common adult psychiatric disorders, including groups of mental disorders and substance use disorders (SUDs), and which factors explain between-study variation?In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 57 studies, the overall test-retest reliability of standardized diagnostic interviews was moderate and highly heterogeneous, with significantly higher reliability for SUDs than for mental disorders. Only diagnostic criteria partially explained between-study variation in SUDs.The finding that standardized diagnostic interviews, although regarded as the gold standard of psychiatric disorder classification, had moderate and highly variable test-retest reliability highlights the need for careful selection and use.

Corresponding Author: Laura Duncan, PhD, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1280 Main St West, WHC 132, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1 (duncanlj@mcmaster.ca).

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