Validity of the Ghent Multidimensional Somatic Complaints Scale in a clinical sample.

Objective: To evaluate the validity of the Ghent Multidimensional Somatic Complaints Scale (GMSCS) in a Clinical Sample.

Method: 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.

Conclusion: 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.