The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) is a widely used self-report inventory that evaluates a broad range of psychological symptoms and psychopathological dimensions. Below is a list of its 12 primary symptom dimensions (subscales) and the scoring key used for interpretation. Email us to get your report – therapists@whjonline.com
| No. | Subscale | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somatization (SOM) | Distress arising from perceived bodily dysfunction (e.g., headaches, pains) |
| 2 | Obsessive-Compulsive (O-C) | Thoughts, impulses, and actions that are experienced as unremitting and irresistible |
| 3 | Interpersonal Sensitivity (I-S) | Feelings of personal inadequacy and inferiority in comparison to others |
| 4 | Depression (DEP) | Symptoms typical of depressive syndromes, including dysphoric mood, hopelessness |
| 5 | Anxiety (ANX) | Signs of nervousness, tension, panic, and restlessness |
| 6 | Hostility (HOS) | Anger, aggression, irritability, and resentment |
| 7 | Phobic Anxiety (PHOB) | Persistent fears of specific situations or objects, including avoidance |
| 8 | Paranoid Ideation (PAR) | Suspiciousness, fear of loss of autonomy, projective thoughts |
| 9 | Psychoticism (PSY) | Spectrum of psychotic-like symptoms, from withdrawal to hallucinations |
| 10 | Global Severity Index (GSI) | Mean of all 90 items; best indicator of overall distress |
| 11 | Positive Symptom Total (PST) | Number of items rated above 0; measures symptom breadth |
| 12 | Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI) | Mean of items rated above 0; reflects symptom intensity |
Scoring & Reporting
To measure the impact of your psychosomatic symptoms, you are required to assess how much you were bothered by 90 unique symptoms. Kindly book your symptoms check-up for the full list and your report. Each of the 90 items is rated on a 5-point Likert scale:
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | Not at all |
| 1 | A little bit |
| 2 | Moderately |
| 3 | Quite a bit |
| 4 | Extremely |
T-scores or percentile ranks are used to compare against normative samples.
Cut-off for clinical concern is typically a Global Severity Index (GSI) T-score ≥ 63 or 2 subscales with T ≥ 63.
In therapy we discuss these symptoms and presenting problems, general psychological well-being, and the treatment plan. Particularly when examining the experience of lonliness vs. solitude, we can tap into Gestalt Therapy as well in addition to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy specific to your needs. Modulating isolation is one of the key components of self-compassion here, reflecting the belief that one’s suffering is uniquely personal and disconnected from the broader human experience. The intensity of this disconnection ranges from mild, moderate, severe to neurotic. In this regard, overcoming anxious thoughts is crucial to regulate the central nervous system and vice-versa. That’s why discussing the psychosomatic symptoms is important and can positively impact the aging brain, more specifically grey matter volume (Pagnoni & Cekic, 2007).
The SCL-90-R measures isolation-related distress across several symptom domains, especially within the interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and psychoticism subscales (Derogatis, 1994; Derogatis & Unger, 2010). These subscales can provide a multi-layered understanding of how perceived disconnection (isolation) contributes to emotional distress, self-judgment, and psychopathological symptoms in you. By integrating self-compassion frameworks with symptom severity profiles, a mental health professional can more precisely identify how internal attitudes, in essence, harsh self-criticism and feelings of separateness, translate into broader psychological struggles, and can help cope through interventions that promote common humanity and emotional resilience. More and more people are tired of being resilient and look for a breathing room that holds space so that the inner child can feel and the adult self can grow.
If you or anyone you know is suffering, connect with Dr. Anney Roy, Ph.D. at arc@whjonline.com.
References
- Derogatis, L. R. (1994). SCL-90-R: Administration, scoring, and procedures manual (3rd ed.). Minneapolis, MN: National Computer Systems.
- Derogatis, L. R., & Unger, R. (2010). Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. In The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology (4th ed., Vol. 4, pp. 1743–1745). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy0970 - Pagnoni, G., & Cekic, M. (2007). Age effects on gray matter volume and attentional performance in Zen meditation. Neurobiology of Aging, 28(10), 1623–1627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.06.008
