PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale)
Quantifies positive, negative, and general psychopathology in schizophrenia for treatment monitoring and clinical trials
- Highest activation tier
- Recommended
- How it is scored
- Scored in code; a detected disagreeing draft value is flagged for correction
- Scoring type
- questionnaire
- Care settings
- Inpatient, Outpatient
When it activates
Scribeable activates a calculator from the encounter. The PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) can activate when the transcript or pasted chart context documents any of these:
- Schizophrenia symptom assessment
- Psychosis severity rating
- Antipsychotic treatment monitoring
- Schizophrenia clinical trial assessment
- Psychotic symptom quantification
A coded diagnosis can also activate it. ICD-10 prefixes carried by the registry: F20, F25.
Note-type scope: it activates on notes whose subject resolves to psychiatry. A note that resolves to another subject does not carry it even when the clinician's specialty matches; a note with no resolvable subject (a generic consultation) falls back to the specialty match.
Inputs the note needs
4 inputs. Each is resolved from the transcript, the pasted chart context and charted labs; at this calculator’s tier a missing input is never requested, and a missing required input keeps the score out of the draft.
| Input | Type | Unit / options | Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positive scale score (P1-P7, range 7-49): delusions, conceptual disorganization, hallucinatory behavior, excitement, grandiosity, suspiciousness/persecution, hostilityoptional | symptom | ||
| Negative scale score (N1-N7, range 7-49): blunted affect, emotional withdrawal, poor rapport, passive/apathetic withdrawal, difficulty in abstract thinking, lack of spontaneity, stereotyped thinkingoptional | symptom | ||
| General psychopathology score (G1-G16, range 16-112): somatic concern, anxiety, guilt, tension, mannerisms, depression, motor retardation, uncooperativeness, unusual thought content, disorientation, poor attention, lack of judgment, disturbance of volition, poor impulse control, preoccupation, active social avoidanceoptional | symptom | ||
| PANSS total score (30-210) if subscale scores not availableoptional | symptom |
Scoring
30 items, each rated 1 (absent) to 7 (extreme). Positive scale (7 items): 7-49. Negative scale (7 items): 7-49. General psychopathology (16 items): 16-112. Total: 30-210. Composite index = positive - negative (measures syndrome dominance).
Interpretation
Total 30-58: Mildly ill. Total 59-75: Moderately ill. Total 76-95: Markedly ill. Total >95: Severely ill. Response criteria: >=30% reduction from baseline total (clinical trials), >=50% = excellent response. Remission (Andreasen criteria): all 8 remission items <=3 for >=6 months. Positive-predominant (composite >0) often better medication response. Negative-predominant (composite <0) may need clozapine or psychosocial interventions. PANSS-6 (simplified 6-item version) validated for routine clinical use.
Evidence
Sources carried in Scribeable's citation registry for this calculator; guideline version: Kay 1987.
- Kay SR et al. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for schizophreniaKay et al. (PANSS) 1987 · 1987 · Level I · link last verified 2026-03-28
How Scribeable handles it in the note
When an encounter activates the PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) (its highest tier is recommended), Scribeable does not ask you for missing inputs. The score is computed in code from whatever inputs resolve from the transcript, the pasted chart context or charted labs; a computed value is written into the draft only when every required input already resolves.
The score is computed in code from the resolved inputs, not recalled by the language model. If the draft states a PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) value that disagrees with the computed one, the disagreement is flagged to the second drafting pass, which is instructed to correct the score and its interpretation before you see the note.
Classified as a questionnaire: a patient-reported or clinician-rated instrument, where a spare activation carries low harm.
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