Overview:
The Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18) is a psychological assessment tool designed to measure psychological distress and symptoms of mental health disorders. It is a shortened version of the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and provides a quick yet reliable evaluation of emotional well-being.
 
Key Features:
18-item self-report questionnaire
Measures distress across three dimensions: Somatization, Depression, and Anxiety
Uses a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Not at all to 4 = Extremely)Provides a Global Severity Index (GSI) for overall distress assessment
Can be administered in under five minutes
 
Applications:
Screening for psychological distress in clinical and non-clinical settings
Identifying mental health concerns in medical, occupational, and research contexts
Monitoring changes in symptoms over time for treatment evaluation
 
Conclusion:
The BSI-18 is a brief yet effective tool for assessing psychological distress. Its efficiency, ease of use, and applicability in various settings make it valuable for clinicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals seeking a quick mental health evaluation.