title: Validity of the Ghent Multidimensional Somatic Complaints Scale in a clinical sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the validity of the Ghent Multidimensional Somatic Complaints Scale (GMSCS) in a Clinical Sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifty-four non-clinical subjects and 151 clinical patients completed the GMSCS, an 18-item five-factorial scale for the assessment of somatic complaints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The five-factorial structure was reliable and valid in the non-clinical as well as the clinical sample. Furthermore, group differences after controlling for the other factors were only significant for pain and fatigue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GMSCS is a suitable multidimensional scale for assessing five clusters of somatic complaints in a clinical (primary care and pain patients) and non-clinical population.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium. koen.beirens@ugent.be
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beirens
authors.forename: Johnny R J
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fontaine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult