BACKGROUND: During the last decades, a renewed interest for negative symptoms (NS)
was brought about by the increased awareness that they interfere severely with real-life
functioning, particularly when they are primary and persistent. METHODS: In this guidance
paper, we provide a systematic review of the evidence and elaborate several recommendations
for the conceptualization and assessment of NS in clinical trials and practice. RESULTS:
Expert consensus and systematic reviews have provided guidance for the optimal assessment
of primary and persistent negative symptoms; second-generation rating scales, which
provide a better assessment of the experiential domains, are available; however, NS
are still poorly assessed both in research and clinical settings.This European Psychiatric
Association (EPA) guidance recommends the use of persistent negative symptoms (PNS)
construct in the context of clinical trials and highlights the need for further efforts
to make the definition of PNS consistent across studies in order to exclude as much
as possible secondary negative symptoms. We also encourage clinicians to use second-generation
scales, at least to complement first-generation ones.The EPA guidance further recommends
the evidence-based exclusion of several items included in first-generation scales
from any NS summary or factor score to improve NS measurement in research and clinical
settings. Self-rated instruments are suggested to further complement observer-rated
scales in NS assessment.Several recommendations are provided for the identification
of secondary negative symptoms in clinical settings. CONCLUSIONS: The dissemination
of this guidance paper may promote the development of national guidelines on negative
symptom assessment and ultimately improve the care of people with schizophrenia.
