Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the neuropsychiatric inventory in mainland China

Objective The reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the neuropsychiatric inventory (CNPI) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have not been assessed in mainland China. We do the reliability and validity research about CNPI of mainland China in the present study. Methods The CNPI was administered to 219 caregivers of patients with AD. Each caregiver was retested 4 weeks after initial testing. Results The Cronbach's α coefficient of the total symptom scale was 0.69. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the total caregiver distress subscale was 0.72. The Cronbach's α coefficient of the entire inventory was 0.82. The test-retest coefficients ranged from 0.66 to 0.98 (p < 0.001). Principal axis factoring analysis of the symptom subscale yielded a five-factor solution, which contributed to 67.0% of the cumulative variance. Factor 1, which included aberrant motor behavior, hallucinations, delusion and irritability had the most significant contribution to the cumulative variance. Principal axis factoring analysis of the caregiver distress subscale also yielded a five-factor solution, which contributed to 70.2% of the cumulative variance. Factor 1, which included depression, delusion, sleep/night behavior, aberrant motor behavior and irritability had the most significant contribution to the cumulative variance. Conclusion This Chinese version of NPI is a reliable and valid tool for measuring neuropsychiatric disturbances in patients with AD. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.