A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Brief Symptom Inventory

A cross-cultural study of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) was conducted with a sample of university students from India and Canada. The results indicated much higher rates of symptom reporting in the Indian sample. Canadian students also had higher reported symptom scales when compared to a similar size USA sample. A small sample of older respondents was also compared with a British sample. Examination of the structure of the BSI scale was investigated using a multidimensional scaling analysis. The Indian data had a somatization—paranoid ideation dimension and a psychoticism—interpersonal sensitivity dimension. With the Canadian sample, there was a hostility—phobic anxiety dimension along with a somatization—paranoid ideation dimension.     

Dimensional structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory with Spanish college students

The Brief Symptom Inventory is designed to assess symptoms of psychological disorders in adolescents and adults. The dimensional structure of the inventory, using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, was examined with a cross-sectional design in a Spanish sample of college students ( N = 1,033, aged between 18 and 30 years old). Two hypotheses were tested: the original distribution of the items in nine factors, and the unidimensionality of the inventory. According to the results, a nine-factor structure seemed to be confirmed, although the strong intercorrelations found among the subscales indicated that these were measuring closely related constructs. The importance of cultural influences when assessing psychological symptoms and the need to develop national and sex norms for instruments that assess psychopathology, are also discussed.     

Longitudinal construct validity of Brief Symptom Inventory subscales in schizophrenia

Longitudinal validity of Brief Symptom Inventory subscales was examined in a sample (N = 318) with schizophrenia-related illness measured at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years. Nonlinear factor analysis of items was used to test graded response models (GRMs) for subscales in isolation. The models varied in their within-time and between-times parameter constraints, with the homogeneous model being the least constrained, followed by the 2-parameter GRM and 1-parameter GRM. Results show that 4 subscales (Interpersonal Sensitivity, Hostility, Paranoid Ideation, Psychoticism) were consistent with the 1-parameter GRM, and 5 subscales (Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsive, Depression, Anxiety, Phobic Anxiety) were consistent with the 2-parameter GRM. There is evidence that the 9 subscales may be validly used to study change in single constructs over time.     

Adult Israeli Community Norms for the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)

The study aim is to establish Israeli norms for the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). A nationwide representative sample of 510 community respondents (age range 35–65, 51.4% women) completed the Hebrew version of the BSI. The data showed high internal reliabilities for the 9 BSI scales, as well as for their total score, indicated by the General Severity Index (GSI). Higher levels of GSI were found for widowed, divorced, and single respondents than for married respondents. Higher GSI was also found for unemployed and retired men than the self-employed and employees, validating the GSI as a measure of distress. Most importantly, the scores of the Israeli GSI, as well as each of the 9 scales, were higher than those reported in either the U.S. or the British norms. These findings may indicate that Israeli society is experiencing relatively high distress, highlighting the need for establishing BSI norms for each culture.     

Unidimensionality of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in Adult and Adolescent Inpatients

This study investigated the factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis, 1992) for adult and adolescent psychiatric inpatients. The BSI was administered to 217 adults and 188 adolescents at admission, and discharge from a private psychiatric hospital. Principal components factor analyses revealed that most variance among dimension scores was accounted for by one unrotated factor. Factorial invariance was evident across adult and adolescent samples for admission and discharge scores. Our findings are consistent with previous research on the BSI and Symptom Checklist-90-R (Derogatis, 1977), suggesting that both instruments measure primarily a unidimensional construct of general psychological distress.     

Comparisons among the Holden Psychological Screening Inventory (HPSI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR)

Issues of reliability, item latent structure, and faking on the Holden Psychological Screening Inventory (HPSI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR) were examined with a sample of 300 university undergraduates. Reliability analyses indicated that scales from all inventories had acceptable internal consistency. Confirmatory item principal component analyses supported the structures and scoring keys of the HPSI and the BIDR, but not the BSI. Although all inventories were susceptible to faking, validity indices of the HPSI and the BIDR could correctly classify over two-thirds of test respondents as either responding honestly or as faking.     

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) in cancer patients

Background/Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess psychometric properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), evaluate the measurement invariance with respect to sex, age, and tumor location, and to analyze associations between social support and sociodemographic and clinical variables among individuals with resected, non-advanced cancer. Method: A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to explore the dimensionality of the scale and test invariance across sex, age, and tumor localization in a prospective, multicenter cohort of 877 patients who completed the BSI-18 and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results: The results show that 3-factor and 1-factor measurement models provided a good fit to the data; however, a three-factor, second-order model was deemed more appropriate and parsimonious in this population. Alpha coefficients ranged between .75 and .88. Test of measurement invariance showed strong invariance results for sex, age, and tumor location; strong invariance over time was likewise assumed. Less perceived social support appears to correlate with all BSI factors. Conclusions: The study confirmed the tridimensional structure of the BSI-18 and invariance across age, sex, and tumor localization. We recommend using this instrument to measure anxiety, depression, and somatization in epidemiological research and clinical practice.     

Mind-Body Patterns of Symptom Generation

Effective ways for joining family therapy with other treatment modalities are becoming increasingly important as the efficacy of family therapy gains acceptance in the medical and mental health community. When one interfaces family therapy with medical and psychopharmacological treatments, which find the sources of symptoms within individuals, rather than interpersonal systems, careful attention must be paid to the mind and body relationships that guide interactions between family behavior and the somatic physiology of each family member. We present six mind-body patterns of symptom generation found to be particularly useful for designing multimodality treatments and for communicating the treatment rationale to medical and psychiatric clinicians or to family members. Case examples illustrate their clinical use.     

A cross-cultural analysis of the Brief Symptom Inventory-18

The Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18: Derogatis, 2000) is an abbreviated version of the nine dimension, 53-item BSI (Derogatis, 1993) which is a shortened form of the 90-item Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R: Derogatis, 1994). Criticism focused on factor structure (cf. Boulet & Boss, 1991; Ruipérez, Ibá?ez, Lorente, Moro, & Ortet, 2001) and the two older versions' poor discriminant validity suggest the scales' usefulness is limited to global scores only. Using principal component analysis, the authors explore the three-dimension factor structure of the BSI - 18 with the understudied population of Central American immigrants to the U.S. (N = 100). Results suggest one underlying factor best used in aggregate as a general screening for overall levels of psychological distress. Cultural differences are discussed.     

Stability of the Personality and Symptom Scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory

This study examines the stability of the basic and pathological personality and symptom scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) in three clinical samples. Consistent with the theory upon which the MCMI is based, higher stability estimates were found among basic personality scales in comparison with symptom scales. However, stability estimates which included initial MCMI administration at intake into retreatment were generally lower than those based upon administrations which occurred later in the treatment process. This later finding suggests the need to consider timing of administration when interpreting the MCMI.     

自我职业选择测验(SDS)的试用报告

本研究对自我职业选择测验 (SDS) 1 985年版进行了修订 ,并在武汉市中学生中进行了适用性的验证。在原测验中译本基础上 ,进行了项目修改、项目分析、信效度检验等标准化工作。结果表明 :①该测验具有良好的项目特性 ;②该测验同质性信度、分半信度均达到一般心理测验要求标准 ;③该测验结构效度与效标关联效度亦较为理想 ;④个别项目仍有待于进一步修改 ,取样还应面向全国 ,以利于进一步的推广作用。在武汉市中学生中的试用结果表明 :①该测验可以作为中学生职业辅导的选用工具 ;②在该测验中使用标准分代替粗分更具科学性。     

Stability of the personality and symptom scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory

This study examines the stability of the basic and pathological personality and symptom scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) in three clinical samples. Consistent with the theory upon which the MCMI is based, higher stability estimates were found among basic personality scales in comparison with symptom scales. However, stability estimates which included initial MCMI administrations at intake into treatment were generally lower than those based upon administrations which occurred later in the treatment process. This later finding suggests the need to consider timing of administration when interpreting the MCMI.     

A Validation Study of the Brief Irrational Thoughts Inventory

This study examines the reliability and validity of the “Brief Irrational Thoughts Inventory” (BITI) in a sample of 256 justice-involved youths. The BITI is a questionnaire used to determine the nature and severity of irrational thoughts related to aggressive (externalizing), sub-assertive (internalizing), and distrust-related behavior in adolescents with conduct problems. The results of this study demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability and supported validity of the BITI in terms of construct, convergent, concurrent and divergent validity. Construct validity was assessed using a confirmatory factor analysis. The BITI proved to be measurement invariant for sex and ethnic origin, i.e., the results indicated that items were interpreted in a similar way by boys and girls as well as native and non-native Dutch respondents. The BITI also proved to be insensitive to intelligence, education, and age (divergent validity). However, weak to moderate correlations were found between the degree of social desirability and irrational thoughts related to aggressive (externalizing) and distrust-related behavior (BITI). Finally, concurrent validity was satisfactory, with the exception of thoughts related to sub-assertive (internalizing) behavior.     

Symptom endorsement differences on the Children's Depression Inventory with children and adolescents on an inpatient unit

Responses to the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI; Kovacs, 1992), administered during intake, were collected from 521 children and adolescents (aged 7 to 17) at an inpatient crisis stabilization unit. Participants were grouped into 1 of 3 diagnostic groups: solely depressive, solely aggressive, or both depressive and aggressive. Self-report of symptoms for each diagnostic group, age and gender differences, and racial and ethnic differences in symptoms were examined in this study. There was a significant difference between the endorsement pattern of solely depressive and solely aggressive participants, whereas those categorized as both depressive and aggressive displayed an endorsement pattern similar to those who were solely aggressive. There was a significant gender difference in overall symptom report, with girls showing higher overall symptom levels than boys. This gender difference was significant for both the younger and the older age groups. These results held true even when gender was covaried out of the diagnostic group analyses and when diagnostic group was covaried out of the gender analyses. Symptom endorsement did not differ based on race and ethnicity. The primary contribution of this study centers around the findings from the item analyses of the CDI. These results are discussed in relation to the discriminant validity of the CDI and the need for additional research into comorbidity.     

PTSD Symptom Patterns Following Traumatic and Nontraumatic Events

This study extends research examining posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms following different types of potentially traumatic events. Specifically, the study examined and compared the symptom patterns observed in those who suffered a major accident, the unexpected death of a loved one, or sexual assault. Based on recent findings, this project also examines those who reported nontraumatic (but stressful) events, as well as comparing symptom patterns across gender. Findings suggest different types of traumas might be associated with differences in severity and patterns of symptoms for women (but not for men), suggesting symptom patterns manifest differently in men and women. Results also call into question the assumption that traumatic events demonstrate different symptom patterns than other types of events.     

SCL--90--R Symptom Patterns for Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

We collected Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) symptom pattern and severity data from a sample of 486 adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Preliminary comparison of these data with previously published data for adolescent nonpatients suggested no meaningful differences in overall symptom severity, although the data suggested higher Positive Symptom Distress index (PSDI) scores for inpatients, less severe somatization and psychoticism symptoms for inpatient males compared to nonpatient males, and more severe depressive symptoms for inpatient females compared to nonpatient females. Future studies should be directed toward farther analyses of such data and the development of representative and generalizable adolescent inpatient norms for the SCL-90-R.     

Development of the Brief Personal Values Inventory for Sense of Values

The Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ) is a widely used questionnaire for assessing sense of values; however, it is difficult to apply for children and adolescents. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a questionnaire for sense of values, called the Brief Personal Values Inventory (BPVI), consisting of simple questions and fewer items compared to the PVQ. We first created 12 items for the BPVI and then tested criterion-related validity with values in the PVQ-57 in 167 Japanese general population participants (81 males, mean age [SD], range: 23.4 [8.2], 15–57 years). Each of these items was correlated with one or more of the values in the PVQ-57 and covered all higher-order values in Schwartz's theory (openness to change, self-enhancement, conservation, and self-transcendence). In summary, the BPVI adequately corresponded with Schwartz's value theory, indicating an acceptable criterion-related validity. This questionnaire is applicable to a wide population, including adolescents, and will be a useful tool for researchers to elucidate the developmental pathway of personal sense of values.     

A depressive symptom scale for the California Psychological Inventory: construct validation of the CPI-D

To facilitate life span research on depressive symptomatology, a depressive symptom scale for the California Psychological Inventory (CPI) is needed. The authors constructed such a scale (the CPI-D) and compared its psychometric properties with 2 widely used self-report depression scales: the Beck Depression Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Construct validity of the CPI-D was examined in 3 studies. Study 1 established content validity, classifying CPI-D items into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition depressive symptoms. Study 2 used 3 large samples to gather evidence for reliability and validity: correlational analyses demonstrated alpha reliability and convergent and discriminant validity; factor analysis provided evidence for discriminant validity with anxiety; and regression analyses demonstrated comparative validity with existing standard PI scales. Study 3 used clinician ratings of depression and anxiety as criteria for external validity.