SCL-90 Symptom Checklist

Self-assessmentMental HealthScreening
90 items Questions
Usually 10-15 minutes

Introduction

The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) is one of the most widely used psychological screening instruments in the world. It is designed to assess a broad range of psychological problems and symptoms of psychopathology. The SCL-90 consists of 90 items covering areas from feelings, emotions, thinking, consciousness, behavior to lifestyle, interpersonal relationships, eating and sleeping patterns.

Test Instructions

Please read each item carefully and rate how much that problem has bothered you during the past week based on your actual situation. Choose the option that best describes your experience.

Scoring Method

  • Total Score: Sum of all item scores
  • Positive Items: Number of items scored ≥2
  • Positive Symptom Mean: Total positive score / Number of positive items
  • Severity: Total score >160 or positive items >43 suggests psychological problems

Dimension Explanation

  1. SomatizationPhysical discomfort including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory symptoms
  2. Obsessive-CompulsiveObsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors
  3. Interpersonal SensitivityFeelings of inadequacy and inferiority in interpersonal interactions
  4. DepressionLow mood, loss of interest, feelings of hopelessness
  5. AnxietyTension, nervousness, fear and related emotional experiences
  6. HostilityAnger, aggression, irritability and related emotions
  7. Phobic AnxietyFear of specific places, people, or situations
  8. Paranoid IdeationProjective thinking, suspiciousness, hostility
  9. PsychoticismHallucinations, delusions, thought disorders
  10. Additional ItemsSleep, eating, and sexual problems

Notes

  1. Assessment should be conducted in a quiet, undisturbed environment
  2. Respond honestly to reflect your true feelings without overthinking
  3. If scores are high, consider consulting a mental health professional

Ready to start the assessment?