Objective: To assess the feasibility, patient and clinician acceptability and test-retest reliability of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) used by non-psychiatrists in an acute psychiatric ward.
Method: Of 268 consecutive patients included in a cross-sectional study, 176 (66%) completed MINI, and were compared to patients not interviewed. Patients and clinicians were questioned about the interview, using Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). For 38 patients, test-retest reliability was assessed with Cohen's kappa and observed agreement.
Results: MINI was not feasible for all patients. Among factors associated with not being interviewed were early discharge, psychosis, substance use and involuntary admissions. Although evaluations by patients and clinicians completing the postinterview questionnaire varied, MINI was generally perceived as being useful and feasible. Psychotic symptoms were associated with a less positive experience with MINI for both patients and clinicians. In the test-retest analyses, kappa values indicated excellent agreement for six diagnoses, fair to good for six and poor for seven, whereas observed agreement was 75% or above for all disorders.
Conclusion: Among patients admitted to an acute psychiatric ward willing and able to complete the interview, MINI was well accepted by patients and clinicians, and has moderately good test-retest reliability.
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