The Validity of the SCL-90 in a Sample of British Men remanded to Prison for Psychiatric Reports

Abstract

The SCL-90 is a self-report inventory of psychopathology, which has not previously been validated in the UK. In the present study, the scale was found to correlate well with other measures of mental state, namely the Present State Examination (PSE) and the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS). The scale was able to distinguish psychotic from non-psychotic patients on its paranoid ideation sub-scale, but not on its psychoticism one, nor any of its seven neurotic sub-scales. It is suggested that in research or population screening studies, this type of questionnaire should be supplemented with information relating to psychiatric history and motivation for treatment.