Abstract: Objective To develop Prospective Memory Test and explore its reliability and validity in normal and schizophrenic population. Methods According to the structure of prospective memory, Prospective Memory Test was developed based on the previous researches. 40 inpatients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy subjects were assessed with Prospective Memory Test and Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition, Chinese (WMS-Ⅳ). Results Factor analysis extracted 2 main factors, named time-based prospective memory (TBPM) and event-based prospective memory (EBPM), including 10 items. The average score of Prospective Memory Test was lower in the patients than in the healthy controls by 1~2 standard deviations (P<0.001). Discriminant analysis showed that the specificity, sensitivity, and diagnostic consistency were 93.3%, 72.5% and 81.4%, respectively. Prospective Memory Test scores and two subtest scores positively correlated with total score of WMS-Ⅳ (r=0.44~0.53, P<0.001). The Cronbach's α among all the items was 0.76, and was 0.68 in the TBPM and 0.59 in the EBPM. Split-half reliability of the scale was 0.65 (P<0.001). Conclusion The reliability and validity of Prospective Memory Test are acceptable for schizophrenics.

Key words: prospective memory, reliability, validity, psychometry, schizophrenia