A computerized self-report symptom distress inventory: for use as a routine clinical interview in schizophrenia

A computer-administered interview is described that may be useful for identifying and tracking symptoms and assessing treatment outcome. The Symptoms of Schizophrenia (SOS) Inventory is a 30-item self-report instrument designed to be used with patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. It is administered and scored on a personal computer and typically is completed in 3 to 5 minutes. The objective of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Symptoms of Schizophrenia (SOS) Inventory. The design of the study was a retrospective chart review. The setting of the study was the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center inpatient wards and outpatient psychiatric clinics. Participants included 138 veterans with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Measurements were based on scores from the SOS Inventory and Colorado Symptom Index (CSI). There were reliable differences between inpatients and outpatients (t=3.56, p<0.001), and it was found to correlate (r=0.84, n=44, p<0.05) with the CSI. The conclusion is that the SOS Inventory is an efficient, low-cost method of tracking symptom distress in patients with schizophrenia.