PQ-B
ValidatedProdromal Questionnaire – Brief Version (PQ-B)
12 – 35 yearsSelf~5 min42 questions
Please indicate whether you have had the following thoughts, feelings and experiences in the past month by checking “yes” or “no” for each item. Do not include experiences that occur only while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medications that were not prescribed to you. If you answer “YES” to an item, also indicate how distressing that experience has been for you.
Report details · optional
Shown on the report and stored with the screening record. Use initials or a code, not full names.
Answers, results and report details are recorded by OpenScreener to monitor and improve the service. Privacy
About this screener — evidence, source, alternatives
A self-report screen for the attenuated psychotic experiences that characterise psychosis-risk (ultra-high-risk) syndromes in help-seeking adolescents and young adults. For each experience endorsed in the past month the person rates how frightening, concerning, or problematic it is. It is not diagnostic: a positive screen should be followed by an interview-based assessment (e.g. SIPS) with a trained clinician.
Evidence · validated
In 141 help-seeking 12–35-year-olds at two early-psychosis clinics, a Distress Score ≥ 6 identified SIPS prodromal or psychotic syndromes with 88% sensitivity and 68% specificity (PPV 95%, NPV 50%, LR+ 2.83); ≥ 3 endorsed items gave 89% sensitivity and 58% specificity. Cronbach’s alpha 0.85 (Loewy et al., 2011). Recommended for help-seeking samples; the false-positive rate is higher in unselected populations.
Free alternative to
- Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS)
The clinician interview the PQ-B is designed to precede in a two-stage screening process.
Source & licence
Loewy RL, Cannon TD. The Prodromal Questionnaire, Brief Version (PQ-B). University of California; 2010. Validation: Loewy RL, Pearson R, Vinogradov S, Bearden CE, Cannon TD. Psychosis risk screening with the Prodromal Questionnaire – Brief Version (PQ-B). Schizophr Res. 2011;129(1):42–46.
Licence: Free to use for research, clinical purposes and EHR platforms, as long as users are not charged per use (Loewy Lab, UCSF).
Translations need sign-off from Dr Rachel Loewy. Item wording and scoring are from the authors’ distributed form and cover letter (© University of California, May 2010).
Official source ↗