A general scale to rate symptoms and feelings related to problems of ergonomic and organizational importance

Advantages and drawbacks with different methods for scaling magnitudes of experiences are described. An advantage with "ratio scaling" (according to Stevens) is that it gives possibilities for rough assessments of S-R-functions, but a drawback that it does not function to determine direct ("absolute") levels of intensity. Simple "category rating scales" have instead the advantage to enable rough determinations of intensity levels but not S-R-functions. Basic principles in scale construction are presented, such as the need of a rather big subjective dynamic range from rest to maximum, the importance of good linguistic anchors, the value of using one and the same scale for most kinds of experiences, and the importance of a congruence in meaning between the numbers on a scale and the verbal anchors (or symbols). Theoretical and empirical reasons give strong support for the use of Borg's general category (C)-ratio (R) scale, the CR10 scale, for diagnostic purposes and for treatments of both sick and healthy people and work situations.