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.