Despite the number of rating scales for mood disorder and semi-structured interview in psychiatry, they are few evaluations focused on bipolar disorder. Here, we report the validation of the French version of the ADE used in STEP-BD (Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder) studies.

A total of 63 bipolar patients completed the ADE and French version of the DIGS (Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies). We compared the results between the two evaluations.

There was a very good concordance between the two interview for the diagnosis of the type of bipolar diagnosis (κ = 1) and non-significative difference between the age at onset. The concordance coefficient was weak for addictions: alcohol (κ = 0.22) and cannabis (κ = 0.16), for anxiety disorder: panic attacks (κ = 0.35), phobia (κ = 0.36), obsessive-compulsive disorder (κ = 0) and anorexia (κ = 0.04), but stronger for psychosis: delusion (κ = 0.78), hallucinations (κ = 0.69), suicidal attempts (κ = 0.97), violence (κ = 0.47) and bulimia (κ = 0.47).

The affective disorder evaluation seems to be a useful instrument in clinical practice and in psychopharmacological studies, but not when the diagnosis of comorbities is necessary.