Factor structure of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in Brazil: convergent validation of the Brazilian version

The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was developed to assess the symptoms of schizophrenia dimensionally. Although it is widely used in clinical trials in Brazil, it is not fully validated. The aim of this study is to assess the factor structure of the Brazilian PANSS and generate validation data for its current version. A total of 292 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia were enrolled. Principal component analysis suggested a forced five-factor final model that accounted for 58.44% of the total variance, composed of negative, disorganization/cognition, excitement, positive, and depression/anxiety. The Brazilian PANSS has a similar factor structure and internal consistency compared to versions in several other languages.