title: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the Brief Symptom Inventory among substance abusers.
abstract: The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) is a multidimensional measure of psychological and somatic distress that is used to obtain detailed symptom profiles. The BSI has been questioned regarding its ability to differentiate among its proposed nine dimensions, and the factor structure underlying the BSI has not been confirmed with substance abusers. Exploratory factor analyses were completed on substance abusers (ntotal = 453; nwomen = 121; nmen = 332); nine factors were not identified. Five models were then submitted to confirmatory factor analyses using an independent sample of substance abusers (ntotal = 456; nwomen = 127; nmen = 329). A one-factor model (i.e., global psychological distress) best represented the data. Implications for using the BSI in research and counseling are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-6085, USA. benishek@aol.com
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Benishek
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Bieschke
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Stöffelmayr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation