Monitoring somatic symptoms in patients with mental disorders: sensitivity to change and minimal clinically important difference of the somatic symptom scale – 8 (SSS-8)

Gierk, Benjamin; Kohlmann, Sebastian; Hagemann-Goebel, Marion; Löwe, Bernd; Nestoriuc, Yvonne

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2017.07.002

Cited by 33Psychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPsychometric Methodologies and Testing

Monitoring somatic symptoms in patients with mental disorders: sensitivity to change and minimal clinically important difference of the somatic symptom scale – 8 (SSS-8)

Gierk, Benjamin, Kohlmann, Sebastian, Hagemann-Goebel, Marion, Löwe, Bernd, Nestoriuc, Yvonne·2017·General Hospital Psychiatry

DOI 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2017.07.002

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Abstract

Objective The SSS-8 is a brief questionnaire for the assessment of somatic symptom burden. This study examines its sensitivity to change and the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in patients with mental disorders.Method 55 outpatients with mental disorders completed the SSS-8 and measures of anxiety, depression, and disability before and after receiving treatment. Effect sizes and correlations between the change scores were calculated. The MCID was estimated using a one standard error of measurement threshold and the change in disability as an external criterion.Results There was a medium decline in somatic symptom burden for the complete sample (n=55, d z=0.53) and a large decline in a subgroup with very high somatic symptom burden at baseline (n=11, d z=0.94). Decreases in somatic symptom burden were associated with decreases in anxiety (r=0.68, p<0.001), depression (r=0.62, p<0.001) and disability (r=0.51, p<0.001). The MCID was estimated as a 3-point decrease.Conclusion The SSS-8 is sensitive to change. A 3-point decrease reflects a clinically important improvement. Due to its brevity and sound psychometric properties, the SSS-8 is useful for monitoring somatic symptom burden.

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The SSS-8 has good psychometric properties and is sensitive to change.
“It has good psychometric properties and is sensitive to change (Gierk et al., 2017).”
From The efficacy of automated feedback after internet-based depression screening: Study protocol of the German, three-armed, randomised controlled trial DISCOVER (2021) · cites this paper as Gierk et al., 2017

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Authors: Gierk, B., Kohlmann, S., Hagemann-Goebel, M., Löwe, B., & Nestoriuc, Y.
Affiliations: Asklepios (DE)
Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek (DE)
Corresponding author: Gierk, Benjamin
ORCID: Kohlmann, Sebastian
Löwe, Bernd
Nestoriuc, Yvonne
Venue: General Hospital Psychiatry
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2017-09
Volume: 48
Pages: 51-55
ISSN: 0163-8343 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2017.07.002
OpenAlex: W2736834985
Cited by: 33
References: 37
Citations by year: 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 16 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
FWCI: 1.80
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: General Hospital Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
Keywords: somatic symptom burden, sensitivity to change, minimal clinically important difference, mental illness, anxiety, depression, functional disability, psychometric properties, treatment outcome monitoring
MeSH terms: Minimal Clinically Important Difference, Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Adult, Mental Disorders, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sensitivity and Specificity

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Monitoring somatic symptoms in patients with mental disorders: sensitivity to change and minimal clinically important difference of the somatic symptom scale – 8 (SSS-8)

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