Scale Overview
The Patient Health Questionnaire Somatic Symptom Severity Scale – PHQ-15 was developed by Kurt Kroenke, Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B. W. Williams (2002). It is designed to measure Somatic symptom severity. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 15 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not bothered, 1 = Bothered a little, 2 = Bothered a lot.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 30. Interpretation guidelines:
- Minimal: 0 – 4
- Low: 5 – 9
- Medium: 10 – 14
- High: 15 – 30
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.80.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.