A CPRS subscale to assess mental symptoms in workers exposed to jet fuel--some methodological considerations

A CPRS subscale was constructed for the assessment of mental symptoms in 30 workers exposed to jet fuel and in 30 matched non-exposed controls. All subjects were interviewed in random order by the same psychiatrist. Interviews were recorded on tapes later used for evaluation of rating-rerating and inter-rater reliability, which were in the range of rs 0.75--0.85. The average score of the exposed group exceeded significantly that of the control group. Items concerned with symptoms referred to as neurasthenic and as neurotic differentiated best between the groups. It appears that the subscale is sensitive enough differentiate between two groups of non-patient individuals and has helped establishing that occupational exposure to jet fuel may induce a psycho-organic reaction.