The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) instrument helps evaluate a broad range of psychological problems and symptoms of psychopathology. The instrument is also useful in measuring patient progress or treatment outcomes.
The SCL-90-R instrument is used by clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and professionals in mental health, medical, and educational settings as well as for research purposes. It can be useful in:
 | - Initial evaluation of patients at intake as an objective method for symptom assessment
- Measuring patient progress during and after treatment to monitor change
- Outcomes measurement for treatment programs and providers through aggregated patient information
- Clinical trials to help measure the changes in symptoms such as depression and anxiety
Key Features
- The SCL-90-R test contains only 90 items and can be complete in just 12-15 minutes.
- The test helps measure 9 primary symptom dimensions and is designed to provide an overview of a patient's symptoms and their intensity at a specific point in time.
- The progress report graphically displays patient progress for up to 5 previous administrations.
- By providing an index of symptom severity, the assessment helps facilitate treatment decisions and identify patients before problems become acute.
- The Global Severity Index can be used as a summary of the test.
- More than 1,000 studies have been conducted demonstrating the reliability, validity, and utility of the instrument.
Scales
Symptom Scales
SOM - Somatization
O-C - Obsessive-Compulsive
I-S - Interpersonal Sensitivity
DEP - Depression
ANX - Anxiety
HOS - Hostility
PHOB - Phobic Anxiety
PAR - Paranoid Ideation
PSY - Psychoticism
Global Indices
Global Severity Index (GSI): Designed to measure overall psychological distress.
Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI): Designed to measure the intensity of symptoms.
Positive Symptom Total (PST): Reports number of self-reported symptoms.
Psychometric Information Adapted from the SCL-90-R test, the revised test is normed on 4 groups:
- Adult psychiatric outpatients
- Adult nonpatients
- Adult psychiatric inpatients
- Adolescent nonpatients
The interpretive report is based on age-appropriate nonpatient norm groups; adolescent norms are used for 13- to 17-year olds, and nonpatient adult norms are used for subjects over age 17.
Report Options Profile Report
This report can be useful for monitoring change. It presents a graphic profile of raw and normalized T scores for each of the 9 Primary Symptom Dimensions and the 3 Global Indices. For adults, T scores are profiled based on your choice of nonpatient, outpatient or inpatient norms. (The T scores for the remaining norm groups are printed below the profile.) For adolescents, T scores are reported using adolescent nonpatient norms.
View a sample Profile Report.
Interpretive Report
In addition to providing a profile of scores, the interpretive report provides a narrative overview of the client's symptoms at the global level and specific statements describing the individual symptom scale scores. The Pathognomonic Signs section of the report notes disorders that might be present given the pattern and intensity of symptom endorsement. A Symptoms of Note section lists all items to which the client responded "extremely" or "quite a bit."
View a sample Interpretive Report.
Progress Report
This report can help monitor a client's progress over time. It graphically displays scale-by-scale changes in a client's scores for up to 5 previously reported administrations.
View a sample Progress Report.
Scoring Options Q Local™ Software - Enables you to score assessments, report results, and store and export data on your computer.
Mail-in Scoring Service - Specially designed answer sheets are mailed to us for processing within 24-48 hours of receipt and returned via regular mail.
Hand Scoring - Administer assessments on answer sheets and score them quickly yourself with an answer key.
- Allows you to score the assessments at your site.