Table 4 Validity & reliability of somatization outcome measures
From: A scoping review of somatization: characteristics and implications among health profession students
Somatization measures and study(ies) which used them | Validity | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
APSQ: Anxiety and Preoccupation about Sleep Questionnaire [76] | The APSQ and the two subscales demonstrated discriminant validity between three sleep status groups (normal sleep, poor sleep, and insomnia disorder; R 2 = 0.33–0.41) and convergent validity with measures on cognitive arousal, sleep-related beliefs, anxiety, and depression [90] | A two-factor solution accounted for 70.7% of the variance; one six-item factor evaluated worries about outcomes of poor sleep (α = 0.91); the second factor, the other four-item factor evaluated worries about the uncontrollability of sleep (α = 0.86). The two factors were significantly intercorrelated (ρ = 0.65) and significantly associated with the total APSQ (ρs = 0.97 and 0.76, respectively) [90] |
BSI: Brief Symptom Inventory [88] | Evidence of criterion-related validity through predicting DSM-IV-TR depression, generalized anxiety, phobic, and somatization disorders [91] | Test-retest reliability for all dimensions ranged from 0.68 (Somatization) to 0.91 (Phobic Anxiety) [91] |
ESS: Enugu Somatization Scale [35] | Intrinsic validity: 0.9654 [35] | Cronbach’s α: 0.932, internal consistency: 0.936 [35] |
FTAS: Framingham Type A Behavior Pattern Scale [73] | NR | Cronbach’s α: 0.68 [92] |
Demonstrates convergent validity by correlating significantly and negatively with mental health, (MHC-SF) and it is discriminant between risk and non-risk cases [93] | Configuration of a general factor and four specifics factors explain the items of the GHQ-28 have high integral reliability, χ2 = 694.95, p < 0.001 [93] | |
HSCL: Hopkins Symptom Check List [52] | High longitudinal validity, i.e., responsiveness [94] | Cronbach’s α = 0.859 [94] |
NMQ: Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire [62] | Strong construct validity comparing NMQ responses with disability-related musculoskeletal questionnaires: the Neck Disability Index (NDI), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Quick- Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick-DASH), and Reduced Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (ArWOMAC) [95] | Cronbach’s α = 0.85 [95] |
PHQ-15: Patient Health Questionnaire- 15 [20, 32, 34, 53, 69, 71, 75] | PHQ–15 scores were significantly correlated with BDI scores (r = 0.559; p < 0.01) and GHQ–12 scores (r = 0.435; p < 0.01) [96] | Cronbach α = 0.87 (p < 0.001), and the test–retest reliability 0.65 (p < 0.001); item/total correlation (r) was 0.48 [96] |
PCQ: Psychosomatic Complaints Questionnaire [37] | Convergent validity demonstrated as somatic symptoms, anxiety, dysfunction in social action and function, and depression had direct and significant relationships with psychosomatic problems [97] | Cronbach α = 0.957 [97] |
PPS: Psychosomatic Problems Scale [39] | Multidimensionality: 0.80% at 0.01 alpha [98] | Person Separation Index: 0.83 [98] |
PSC: Psychosomatic Symptom checklist [40] | One factor, “general psychosomatic distress,” accounted for 67.1% of the total variance and 93.2% of the common variance [99] | Test-retest reliability r > 0.80, p < 0.0001; inter-item correlations r > 0.50 [99] |
SA-45: Symptom Assessment Questionnaire [36] | Convergent validity was supported for 7 of the 11 SA-45 scales as these scales had their strongest correlation with their matched Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) scale [100] | Adequate test–retest reliabilities at three-month follow-up: r = 0.56 and r = 0.57 for SA-45 DEP and GSI subscales respectively [100] |
SAD: Diagnostic criteria for somatoform autonomic dysfunction [61] | Prevalence of somatization: 0.8–5.9% with strict DSM/ICD criteria application. Estimates higher with less strict application [101] | Diagnoses from the DSM vs. ICD varied significantly. Data from questionnaire vs. clinical interviews also varied [101] |
Somatisation Scale [47] | NR | NR |
SOMS-2: Screening for Somatoform Disorders-2 [19] | Sensitivity: 86.0%; specificity: 95.5% [102] | Cronbach’s α: 0.83 [102] |
Mental health-related somatic symptoms were correlated with anxiety (r = 0.55 [95% ci, 0.52–0.58]), depression (r = 0.57 [95% ci, 0.54 to 0.60]), health (r = − 0.24 [95% ci, − 0.28 to − 0.20]), and health care utilization (incidence rate ratio, 1.12 [95% ci, 1.10 to 1.14]) [103] | Cronbach’s α: 0.81 [103] | |
Comparative Fit Index: 0.967–0.995 [104] | Cronbach’s α: 0.89–0.93 [104] | |
Self-developed somatization scale [18] | NR | NR |
VASQ: Veins Autonomic Symptoms Questionnaire [46] | NR | NR |
WPSI: Wahler Physical Symptoms Inventory [56] | F = 48.75 (p < 0.001) difference in means [103] | Test-retest reliability: 0.81 [103] |