Psychometric properties of the Treatment-Emergent Activation and Suicidality Assessment Profile (TEASAP) in youth with OCD

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Treatment-Emergent Activation and Suicidality Assessment Profile (TEASAP) in a clinical sample of 56 youth aged 7-17 with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who participated in a double-blind randomized controlled trial. The 38-item TEASAP demonstrated good internal consistency for its total score (α=0.93) and adequate to good performance for its five subscale scores (α=0.65-0.92). One-week test-retest stability (N=18) was adequate (Intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.68-0.80) except for Self-Injury (ICC=0.46). Construct validity was supported by total and subscale TEASAP score relationships with related constructs, including irritability, hyperactivity, externalizing behaviors, manic symptoms, and suicidal ideation, and the absence of relationships with unrelated constructs. Predictive validity was established for the Disinhibition subscale through significant associations with subsequent activation events. Furthermore, TEASAP sensitivity to change in activation scores over time was supported by longitudinal associations of TEASAP scores with clinician ratings of activation over the course of treatment. Findings indicate that the TEASAP has acceptable psychometric properties in a clinical sample of youth with OCD and merits further study in larger samples for additional refinement of its measurement approaches.