Abstract
ObjectiveThe SCL-90 and the SCL-90-R are the most applied measures regarding psychological distress. To reduce and prevent an overload to of the individuals, the Brief Symptom Inventory with 18 items (BSI-18) was developed based on the SCL-90. Since psychological disorders more frequently occur at an older age, there is a growing need for efficient instruments to measure distress in the elderly. However, the BSI-18’s psychometric properties, norm values, and factorial structure have not yet been investigated in this age group.MethodsThe aim of this study was to evaluate the BSI-18 in a sample of elderly people and to establish norm values for this specific population. Subsequently, demographic information and BSI-18 results were collected from a sample totaling 884 (55% female, mean age of 70.75 years, SD = 7.08, age range = 60–95 years). The questionnaire contains three six-item scales: somatization (SOMA), anxiety (ANX), and depression (DEPR), which form a general symptom index (GSI).ResultsWe found an acceptable to good model fit for a three-factor-model with a general GSI factor. The BSI-18’s psychometric properties were satisfactory. Strict measurement invariance was shown for age and gender. Additionally, we found differences in psychological distress based on sociodemographic variables.ConclusionsThese findings underline the growing need for preventive mechanisms for elderly people such as, e.g., (re)activating their social networks and strengthening their physical and psychological well-being.
Highlights
The Symptom Check List with 90 items (SCL-90) [1, 2] and its revised version (SCL-90-R) [3] are the most applied questionnaires for the assessment of psychological distress, especially in clinical practice [1]
We found differences in psychological distress based on sociodemographic variables
Internationally, the Symptom Check List with 90 items (SCL-90) [1, 2] and its revised version (SCL-90-R) [3] are the most applied questionnaires for the assessment of psychological distress, especially in clinical practice [1]
Summary
The Symptom Check List with 90 items (SCL-90) [1, 2] and its revised version (SCL-90-R) [3] are the most applied questionnaires for the assessment of psychological distress, especially in clinical practice [1]. They are very long and time-consuming rating scales. A short form of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) with 53 items was developed by Derogatis and Melisaratos [6] using a factor analysis and maintaining the scale structure with a reduced item number of the SCL-90 (somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, anger-hostility, phobic anxiety paranoid ideation, and psychoticism). In Germany, the BSI is predominantly used for quality management in psychotherapy (e.g. [7]) or other health interventions such as transplantations, chemotherapy, etc. [8,9,10,11].
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