The DOI matches its Crossref record; 14 of the 14 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The PHQ-15: Validity of a New Measure for Evaluating the Severity of Somatic Symptoms
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Somatization is prevalent in primary care and is associated with substantial functional impairment and healthcare utilization. However, instruments for identifying and monitoring somatic symptoms are few in number and not widely used. Therefore, we examined the validity of a brief measure of the severity of somatic symptoms. METHODS: The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) is a self-administered version of the PRIME-MD diagnostic instrument for common mental disorders. The PHQ-15 comprises 15 somatic symptoms from the PHQ, each symptom scored from 0 ("not bothered at all") to 2 ("bothered a lot"). The PHQ-15 was administered to 6000 patients in eight general internal medicine and family practice clinics and seven obstetrics-gynecology clinics. Outcomes included functional status as assessed by the 20-item Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-20), self-reported sick days and clinic visits, and symptom-related difficulty. RESULTS: As PHQ-15 somatic symptom severity increased, there was a substantial stepwise decrement in functional status on all six SF-20 subscales. Also, symptom-related difficulty, sick days, and healthcare utilization increased. PHQ-15 scores of 5, 10, 15, represented cutoff points for low, medium, and high somatic symptom severity, respectively. Somatic and depressive symptom severity had differential effects on outcomes. Results were similar in the primary care and obstetrics-gynecology samples. CONCLUSIONS: The PHQ-15 is a brief, self-administered questionnaire that may be useful in screening for somatization and in monitoring somatic symptom severity in clinical practice and research.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Spitzer, R. L. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.282.18.1737 · Cited by 9,802
Self-citationThe Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL): A self-report symptom inventory
Derogatis, L. R., Lipman, R. S., Rickels, K., Uhlenhuth, E. H., & Covi, L. (1974) · Behavioral Science · doi:10.1002/bs.3830190102 · Cited by 4,604
The MOS Short-form General Health Survey: Reliability and Validity in a Patient Population
Stewart, A. L., Hays, R. D., & Ware, J. E. (1988) · Medical Care · doi:10.1097/00005650-198807000-00007 · Cited by 3,339
Effect Sizes for Interpreting Changes in Health Status
Kazis, L. E., Anderson, J. J., & Meenan, R. F. (1989) · Medical Care · doi:10.1097/00005650-198903001-00015 · Cited by 2,401
The Functioning and Well-being of Depressed Patients: Results From the Medical Outcomes Study
Wells, K. B. (1989) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1989.03430070062031 · Cited by 2,130 · cited 1×
“Many physical disorders (eg, hypertension, well-controlled diabetes, and stable coronary artery disease) are minimally symptomatic and thus produce less impairment than mental disorders or symptomatic physical disorders (47, 48).”
BackgroundSomatization: the concept and its clinical application
(1988) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.145.11.1358 · Cited by 1,079 · cited 1×
“Minimal (1–4) 82 (14) 82 (15) 94 (17) 92 (21) 91 (25) 91 (27) 76 (20) 80 (18) 76 (24) 81 (21) 88 (20) 88 (22) Low (5–9) 72 (18) 74 (17) 86 (23) 88 (23) 78 (38) 84 (33) 61 (24) 67 (23) 60 (25) 66 (23) 77 (25) 82 (21) Medium (10–14) 61 (21) 63 (20) 71 (31) 78 (29) 55 (45) 74 (40) 45 (24) 53 (25) 44 (23) 54 (24) 64 (28)…”
Common symptoms in ambulatory care: incidence, evaluation, therapy, and outcome
Kroenke, K., & Mangelsdorff, A. D. (1989) · The American Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1016/0002-9343(89)90293-3 · Cited by 947
Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B. W., Kroenke, K., Hornyak, R., & McMurray, J. (2000) · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · doi:10.1067/mob.2000.106580 · Cited by 847
Self-citationSomatic symptom reporting in women and men
Barsky, A. J., Peekna, H. M., & Borus, J. F. (2001) · Journal of General Internal Medicine · doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016004266.x · Cited by 816
Prevalence, burden, and treatment of insomnia in primary care
(1997) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.154.10.1417 · Cited by 694 · cited 1×
“Minimal (1–4) 82 (14) 82 (15) 94 (17) 92 (21) 91 (25) 91 (27) 76 (20) 80 (18) 76 (24) 81 (21) 88 (20) 88 (22) Low (5–9) 72 (18) 74 (17) 86 (23) 88 (23) 78 (38) 84 (33) 61 (24) 67 (23) 60 (25) 66 (23) 77 (25) 82 (21) Medium (10–14) 61 (21) 63 (20) 71 (31) 78 (29) 55 (45) 74 (40) 45 (24) 53 (25) 44 (23) 54 (24) 64 (28)…”
Research works printed but not linked: 45
- Schappert, 1992, Vital Health Stat, 13, 1
- Marple, 1997, Arch Intern Med, 157, 1482, 10.1001/archinte.1997.00440340122012 · DOI
- Kroenke, 1993, Arch Intern Med, 153, 2474, 10.1001/archinte.1993.00410210102011 · DOI · Paper page
- Kroenke, 1994, Arch Fam Med, 3, 774, 10.1001/archfami.3.9.774 · DOI · Paper page
- Hartz, 2000, Gen Hosp Psychiatry, 22, 144, 10.1016/S0163-8343(00)00060-8 · DOI
- Kirmayer, 1991, J Nerv Ment Dis, 179, 647, 10.1097/00005053-199111000-00001 · DOI · Paper page
- Spitzer, 1994, JAMA, 272, 1749, 10.1001/jama.1994.03520220043029 · DOI · Paper page
- Gureje, 1997, Am J Psychiatry, 154, 989, 10.1176/ajp.154.7.989 · DOI
- Peveler, 1997, J Psychosom Res, 42, 245, 10.1016/S0022-3999(96)00292-9 · DOI
- Escobar, 1998, Psychosom Med, 60, 466, 10.1097/00006842-199807000-00012 · DOI
- Ormel, 1994, JAMA, 272, 1741, 10.1001/jama.1994.03520220035028 · DOI · Paper page
- Kroenke, 2000, Gen Hosp Psychiatry, 22, 141, 10.1016/S0163-8343(00)00082-7 · DOI
- Katon, 1991, Am J Psychiatry, 148, 34, 10.1176/ajp.148.1.34 · DOI
- Smith, 1994, Psychosomatics, 35, 263, 10.1016/S0033-3182(94)71774-6 · DOI
- Hahn, 1996, J Gen Intern Med, 11, 1, 10.1007/BF02603477 · DOI · Paper page
- Kroenke, 1997, Arch Gen Psychiatry, 54, 352, 10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830160080011 · DOI
- Simon, 1991, Am J Psychiatry, 148, 1494, 10.1176/ajp.148.11.1494 · DOI · Paper page
- Smith, 1995, Arch Gen Psychiatry, 52, 238, 10.1001/archpsyc.1995.03950150070012 · DOI · Paper page
- O’Malley, 1999, J Fam Pract, 48, 980
- Swartz, 1986, J Psychiatr Res, 20, 335, 10.1016/0022-3956(86)90036-1 · DOI
- Othmer, 1985, Am J Psychiatry, 142, 1146, 10.1176/ajp.142.10.1146 · DOI
- Bucholz, 1993, Compr Psychiatry, 34, 59, 10.1016/0010-440X(93)90037-5 · DOI
- Smith, 1990, Gen Hosp Psychiatry, 12, 148, 10.1016/0163-8343(90)90072-K · DOI
- Kellner, 1994, Psychother Psychosom, 61, 4, 10.1159/000288868 · DOI
- Fava, 1995, Psychother Psychosom, 63, 1, 10.1159/000288931 · DOI · Paper page
- Rief, 1999, J Psychosom Res, 46, 507, 10.1016/S0022-3999(99)00023-9 · DOI
- Liu, 1997, J Psychosom Res, 42, 245, 10.1016/S0022-3999(96)00292-9 · DOI
- Kroenke, 1990, Arch Intern Med, 150, 1685, 10.1001/archinte.150.8.1685 · DOI · Paper page
- Kisely, 1997, Psychol Med, 27, 1011, 10.1017/S0033291797005485 · DOI
- Kroenke, 1998, Psychosomatics, 39, 263, 10.1016/S0033-3182(98)71343-X · DOI
- Simon, 1996, Psychosom Med, 58, 481, 10.1097/00006842-199609000-00010 · DOI
- Wyshak, 1991, Med Care, 29, 775, 10.1097/00005650-199108000-00010 · DOI
- Buchwald, 1996, Am J Med, 171, 364, 10.1016/S0002-9343(96)00234-3 · DOI
- Spitzer, 1995, JAMA, 274, 1511, 10.1001/jama.1995.03530190025030 · DOI · Paper page
- Di Tullio, 1988, J Hypertens, 6, S87
- 1991, Arch Intern Med, 151, 1413, 10.1001/archinte.1991.00400070161023 · DOI
- Reidenberg, 1968, N Engl J Med, 279, 678, 10.1056/NEJM196809262791304 · DOI · Paper page
- Nicholas, 1991, Behav Res Ther, 29, 225, 10.1016/0005-7967(91)90112-G · DOI
- Compas, 1998, J Consult Clin Psychol, 66, 89, 10.1037/0022-006X.66.1.89 · DOI · Paper page
- Keefe, 1992, J Consult Clin Psychol, 60, 528, 10.1037/0022-006X.60.4.528 · DOI
- Wilkinson, 1994, J Psychosom Res, 38, 591, 10.1016/0022-3999(94)90056-6 · DOI
- Smith, 1986, N Engl J Med, 314, 1407, 10.1056/NEJM198605293142203 · DOI
- Rao, 2000, Arch Fam Med, 9, 1148, 10.1001/archfami.9.10.1148 · DOI
- Cohen, 1997, Palliat Med, 11, 3, 10.1177/026921639701100102 · DOI · Paper page
- Kroenke, 2001, Ann Intern Med, 134, 844, 10.7326/0003-4819-134-9_Part_2-200105011-00008 · DOI
Cited by
Items 201–218 of 218
Hennemann, S., Böhme, K., Kleinstäuber, M., Ruckes, C., Baumeister, H., Daniel Ebert, D., Küchler, A.-M., & Witthöft, M. (2022) · Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.beth.2022.06.006 · Cited by 11
Development of the Ghent Multidimensional Somatic Complaints Scale
Beirens, K., & Fontaine, J. R. J. (2010) · Assessment · doi:10.1177/1073191109337187 · Cited by 12
Wortman, M. S. H., Olde Hartman, T. C., van der Wouden, J. C., Dankers, S., Visser, B., Assendelft, W. J. J., & van der Horst, H. E. (2022) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057145 · Cited by 12
Barends, H., Dekker, J., van Dessel, N. C., Twisk, J. W. R., van der Horst, H. E., & van der Wouden, J. C. (2023) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111343 · Cited by 10
Wehmeier, P. M., Fox, T., Doerr, J. M., Schnierer, N., Bender, M., & Nater, U. M. (2019) · Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science · doi:10.1177/2168479019849879 · Cited by 10
Psychiatric morbidity in gynecological and otorhinolaryngological outpatients: a comparative study
Leithner, K., Assem-Hilger, E., Fischer-Kern, M., Loeffler-Stastka, H., Sam, C., & Ponocny-Seliger, E. (2009) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2008.12.007 · Cited by 9
Ng, S. S., Leung, T. K., Ng, P. P., Ng, R. K., & Wong, A. T. (2020) · East Asian Archives of Psychiatry · doi:10.12809/eaap1970 · Cited by 9
Schaeuffele, C., Homeyer, S. L., Perea, L., Scharf, L., Schulz, A., Knaevelsrud, C., Renneberg, B., & Boettcher, J. (2020) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/528tw · Cited by 9
(2016) · Majallah-i dānishgāh-i ̒ulūm-i pizishkī-i Māzandarān/Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences · Cited by 9
Predictors of Seeking Psychotherapy in Primary Care Patients with High Somatic Symptom Burden
Kuby, A. K., Löwe, B., Fabisch, A. B., Piontek, K., Härter, M., König, H.-H., & Shedden-Mora, M. C. (2019) · Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1080/08964289.2018.1510366 · Cited by 7
Kerber, A., Beintner, I., Burchert, S., & Knaevelsrud, C. (2021) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049688 · Cited by 7
Severe and enduring somatoform disorders: recognition and management
Bass, C., & Pearce, S. (2016) · BJPsych Advances · doi:10.1192/apt.bp.115.014589 · Cited by 6
Chronic pain management group psychotherapy for psychiatric inpatients: A pilot study
Osborne, P. J., Jimenez-Torres, G. J., Landa, Y., Mahoney, J., & Madan, A. (2017) · Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic · doi:10.1521/bumc.2017.81.2.123 · Cited by 5
Ohse, L., Burian, R., Hahn, E., Burian, H., Ta, T. M. T., Diefenbacher, A., & Böge, K. (2021) · Pain Medicine · doi:10.1093/pm/pnab102 · Cited by 4
Brandolin, F., Lappalainen, P., Gorinelli, S., Muotka, J., Räsänen, P., & Lappalainen, R. (2023) · British Journal of Guidance & Counselling · doi:10.1080/03069885.2023.2165636 · Cited by 3
“Internal consistency has been shown to be high in general, clinical (Kroenke et al., 2001, 2002) and university student populations (Tavakoli et al., 2019).”
BackgroundGendler, Y., & Blau, A. (2022) · Children · doi:10.3390/children9050735 · Cited by 3
“This self-administered questionnaire for children and adolescents was adapted from the PHQ-15 and did not include questions 4 and 11 that are specific to adults [25].”
MethodInfluentialOrme, W. H., Fowler, J. C., Bradshaw, M. R., Carlson, M., Hadden, J., Daniel, J., Flack, J. N., Freeland, D., Head, J., Marder, K., et al. (2022) · Journal of Psychiatric Practice · doi:10.1097/pra.0000000000000623 · Cited by 2
Zimba, C. C., Malava, J. K., Mbota, M., Matewere, M., Akello, H., Akiba, C. F., Landrum, K. R., Morrison, A., Go, V., Hosseinipour, M. C., et al. (2025) · International Journal of Mental Health Systems · doi:10.1186/s13033-025-00663-z · Cited by 1
Metadata
- Authors
- Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W.
- Venue
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Published
- 2002-03
- Volume
- 64
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 258-266
- ISSN
- 0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2316878322
- Cited by
- 3,298
- References
- 14
- FWCI
- 6.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
Data sources
Bibliographic data: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, Crossref.
Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).
Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.