The dimensional structure of SCL-90-R in a sample of patients with substance use disorder

Aim: To test the dimensional structure of the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) among inpatients with substance use disorders (SUD), and to examine whether the Global Severity Index (GSI) scores discriminated between SUD patients and a general Norwegian population sample. The concurrent validity of the SCL-90-R was also examined. Methods: The sample included 85 patients from inpatient SUD treatment clinics in Norway. The patients responded to a survey in the week before they were discharged from treatment. Results: The SCL-90-R is a feasible instrument for measuring general distress among patients with SUD. The patients reported higher scores on the GSI than the general population. This is coherent with the high prevalence of co-occurring psychiatric symptoms in the SUD population. The concurrent validity of SCL-90-R was satisfactory. Conclusion: The SCL-90-R is unidimensional, and the use of the earlier established factor structure is discussable. The GSI score may be a feasible alternative.