A factor analysis of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale in an older psychiatric population: Exploratory and confirmatory analyses

Although the factor structure of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is well established with many populations, a study by Overall and Beller (1984) suggested that its factor structure may differ with older psychiatric patients. The present study investigated the factor structure of the BPRS with older chronic psychiatric patients in a state-sponsored facility. Exploratory factor analyses showed that the BPRS factor structure with this population was in some respects similar to that found by Overall and Beller and in other ways similar to that previously found in younger general psychiatric samples. When various factor structures were assessed with confirmatory factor analyses via LISREL, a hybrid model best fit the present data. This model shared features of the BPRS factor structure with young adult patients as well as with that found by Overall and Beller with geropsychiatric patients.