Have you felt depressed, stressed recently, or you always feel unexplained discomfort in your body? You may need to have a comprehensive psychological examination. Among many psychological assessment tools, SCL-90 (Symptom Self-evaluation Scale) is one of the most widely used and authoritative mental health screening tools in the world.
This article will fully analyze SCL-90 for you, including:
- What is SCL-90 and what can it measure?
- How to conduct SCL-90 free online testing?
- How to correctly interpret the SCL-90 scoring results?
- SCL-90 self-evaluation scale free download
What is SCL-90? What psychological problems can be detected?
SCL-90 , full name Symptom Checklist-90 , was compiled in 1975 by Dr. Derogatis of the General Hospital of Massachusetts, USA. It contains 90 items covering almost all common psychological symptoms. Through self-evaluation, SCL-90 can help us quickly and comprehensively understand our mental health status and identify possible psychological problems.
SCL-90 is not used to diagnose diseases, but a screening scale . It is like a 'psychological examination form', which can initially discover your psychological symptoms and provide reference for whether you need to seek professional help in the future.
The SCL-90 test mainly evaluates the following nine psychological symptoms dimensions , also known as nine factors :
- Somatization : reflects physical discomfort, such as headache, chest tightness, muscle soreness, etc.
- Obsessive- Compulsive : Reflects symptoms related to obsessive thinking or behavior, such as repeated washing of hands, doubting whether doors and windows are locked, etc.
- Interpersonal Sensitivity : It reflects feeling inferior, uncomfortable, oversensitivity in interpersonal communication.
- Depression : Reflects symptoms related to depression, loss of interest, fatigue, insomnia, etc.
- Anxiety : Reflects anxiety-related mental symptoms such as anxiety-related anxiety, restlessness, and excessive worry.
- Hostility : reflects hostile emotions and behaviors such as irritability, quarrel, and feeling incomprehensible.
- Phobic Anxiety : reflects fear of specific things, situations or places, such as fear of heights, social fear, etc.
- Paranoid Ideation: reflects abnormal thinking such as suspicion, delusion of murder, and delusion of relationships.
- Psychoticism : reflects some abnormal experiences, such as auditory hallucinations, confusion in thinking, etc.
In addition to the above nine factors, SCL-90 also has a total score, namely the total positive symptoms index (GSI) , which is used to measure the overall severity of all symptoms. This makes the SCL-90 evaluation results both specific and comprehensive.
SCL-90 free online testing portal
In order to facilitate more people to conduct psychological self-tests, many mental health platforms provide online testing services for SCL-90. PsycTest Quiz official website (psychtest.cn) is a professional psychological assessment platform that provides free online tests of SCL-90 symptoms self-evaluation scales.
Click here to conduct a free online SCL-90 test (free, no registration required)
Through this link, you can directly enter the test page and complete 90 questions. The system will automatically generate a professional evaluation report for you.
SCL-90 scoring criteria and interpretation of results
After completing the test, you will receive a detailed report. It is crucial to understand how to interpret this report correctly.
1. Number of positive items
The number of positive items refers to the number of items with a score of 2 points or above. The more the number, the wider the types of symptoms you have. Generally speaking, when the number of positive items is more than 43 , it indicates that there are obvious psychological problems and it is recommended to seek professional help.
2. Factor score and total score
- Factor equalization : The total score of each factor is divided by the number of questions contained by the factor.
- Total average score : The total score of all 90 items divided by 90.
Generally speaking, the factor average and total average of SCL-90 are divided by 2 points . When the average score of a certain factor is higher than 2 points , it indicates that there are more prominent psychological symptoms in this regard. For example, if your 'depression' factor is scored at 2.5 points, it means that your depression is already obvious.
3. Total Symptom Index (GSI)
GSI (General Symptom Index) is the most important indicator of SCL-90, representing the average severity of all symptoms and the overall average score. The higher the GSI value, the worse the mental health status. Generally, GSI greater than 1.5 should be taken seriously.
Important reminder
A high score of SCL-90 does not mean that you have mental illness!
Online tests and self-evaluation results are for reference only. A person's SCL-90 score may increase due to recent stress and lack of sleep. Therefore, do not over-interpret or “label” yourself. If you find a higher score on the test, feel persistently troubled, or want to gain a deeper understanding, the best way to do this is to consult a professional psychologist or psychological counselor who will conduct a comprehensive assessment and professional diagnosis based on your specific situation.
Is the SCL-90 highly reliable?
Since its publication, the SCL-90 scale has undergone a lot of research and clinical verification and has high reliability and validity . It is widely used in clinical psychology research, psychological counseling, mental health census and other fields worldwide, and its scientificity and professionalism have been widely recognized.
But it should be emphasized that any psychological scale has its limitations, and SCL-90 is no exception. Its credibility is based on correct use and professional interpretation . Relying solely on self-test results to judge psychological conditions is unscientific and irresponsible behavior.
If you have any questions about your mental health, don't hesitate and boldly seek professional help. Correct self-tests and professional guidance are the correct path toward healthy psychology.
Extended Reading: If your SCL-90 score is high, how can you further evaluate it?
SCL-90 is a comprehensive screening tool, but if you score particularly high on a certain factor, you may need to have a more dedicated assessment. For example:
- Is the depression factor score high? You can try the Depression Self-rated Scale (SDS) to obtain a more detailed assessment.
- Is the anxiety factor score high? You can try the Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale (SAS) to gain insight into your anxiety state.
- Relationship sensitivity factor scores high? You can try the Social Anxiety Scale (SAAS) to assess your level of social anxiety.
For more free professional psychological tests, please visit the PsycTest Quiz platform: Professional psychological tests
Where can I download the SCL-90 PDF self-rated scale?
In addition to providing users with free online SCL-90 evaluation, PsycTest Quiz official website (psychtest.cn) also provides a PDF version of the Chinese version of SCL-90 self-evaluation scale for you to download.
You can click on the SCL-90 scale.pdf to download for free (download access password: 4780).
Summary: Use SCL-90 correctly to move towards a healthy psychology
As a powerful mental health self-evaluation scale , the SCL-90 provides us with a window to understand the inner world. With online testing , you can quickly assess your mental state and identify potential psychological problems . Remember, SCL-90 scoring criteria and results analysis require professional interpretation. Regardless of whether your SCL-90 test score is high or low, it is just a reference, and true psychological diagnosis needs to be done by a professional psychological counselor or psychiatrist .
We encourage you to use SCL-90 as the first step in self-testing of mental illness testing . If you have any questions about the results, or want to gain insight into specific psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety , be sure to seek professional help.
Mental health is as important as physical health. Regular psychological tests and psychological self-examination are the first step to taking good care of yourself. Hopefully this article will help you better understand SCL-90 and provide guidance on your mental health journey. If you want to experience it immediately, you can always access the SCL-90 free testing portal .
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- A full solution to the mental health standards and influencing factors of college students
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