Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the kleptomania symptom assessment scale: A comparison between individuals with kleptomania and prisoners in Japan.

INTRODUCTION

In Japan, the rate of recidivism among thieves is high, some of which may be caused by kleptomania. The purpose of this study was to translate the Kleptomania Symptom Assessment Scale (K-SAS) into Japanese and validate its psychometric properties in a Japanese sample. A second purpose of the study was to evaluate the validity of K-SAS to discriminate between individuals with kleptomania and shoplifters not affected by the disorder.

METHODS

The original K-SAS was translated by researchers. The back-translation of the scale into English was conducted by a professional translator who was fluent in both languages. The items on the Japanese version of K-SAS were deemed appropriate for the Japanese context after being reviewed by a forensic psychiatry specialist. The sample included 22 kleptomania patients, 26 shoplifters, and 47 healthy adults. We tested the scale properties and validity to discriminate between the three groups.

RESULTS

The Japanese version of the K-SAS showed adequate reliability and validity. Individuals affected by kleptomania had significantly higher scores than shoplifters and healthy adults. Furthermore, the K-SAS score of kleptomania was not correlated with typical antisocial tendencies. Moreover, the K-SAS score for kleptomania was not correlated with psychometric scales related to obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

The Japanese version of the K-SAS is a useful assessment tool for distinguishing between individuals with kleptomania and shoplifters not affected by the disorder in Japan.