Mood Thermometer – Simplified Health Scale (BSRS-5) – Chinese Version

Description

The “Mood Thermometer,” also known as the Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-5), is primarily a scale designed to assist individuals in understanding the degree of their psychological distress. It is not intended for diagnosing diseases.

Authors and Contact Email

Information not available.

Purpose

The purpose of this scale is to help individuals gauge their levels of psychological distress based on self-reported scores.

Test Year

Information not available.

Administration Method and Scoring

Please carefully reflect on the extent to which the following issues have caused you distress or concern in the past week (including today), and score severity as follows:
完全没有0分 (Not at all = 0 points),
轻微1分 (Mild = 1 point),
中等2分 (Moderate = 2 points),
厉害3分 (Severe = 3 points),
非常厉害4分 (Very Severe = 4 points).

1. 感觉紧张不安 (Feeling tense and restless)
2. 觉得容易苦恼或动怒 (Feeling easily troubled or angry)
3. 感觉抑郁、心情低落 (Feeling depressed or low)
4. 觉得比不上别人 (Feeling inferior to others)
5. 睡眠困难，譬如难以入睡、易醒或早醒 (Having sleep difficulties, such as trouble falling asleep, waking easily, or waking up early)
6. 有自杀的想法 (Having thoughts of suicide) (Additional question)

Total scores are calculated for items 1 to 5:
– 0-5 points: No significant distress, good physical and mental adaptation; please continue to maintain your good mood.
– 6-9 points: Mild emotional distress; it is suggested to provide emotional support and pay attention to adjusting stress levels; try to relax.
– 10-14 points: Moderate emotional distress; it is recommended to seek psychological counseling or professional guidance.
– >15 points: Severe emotional distress; high care is needed; it is advised to refer to psychiatric treatment or seek professional consultation.

The sixth item, regarding suicidal thoughts, is scored separately. If the total score of the first five items is less than 6 but the score for the sixth item is above 2 (moderate level), referral to psychiatric treatment or professional consultation is still recommended.

Reliability and Validity

Each item on the Mood Thermometer has a high correlation with depression, anxiety, hostility, and interpersonal relationships. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) ranges from 0.77 to 0.90, with a test-retest reliability of 0.82, indicating that the Mood Thermometer is an effective scale. The cutoff score of 6 or above yields a sensitivity of 78.9%, a specificity of 74.3%, and a correct diagnosis rate of 76.3%.

Factors and Subscales

Information not available.

Keywords

Psychological distress, Mood Thermometer, Brief Symptom Rating Scale, emotional support, psychological counseling.

Items in Chinese

1. 感觉紧张不安
2. 觉得容易苦恼或动怒
3. 感觉抑郁、心情低落
4. 觉得比不上别人
5. 睡眠困难，譬如难以入睡、易醒或早醒
6. 有自杀的想法（附加题）

Items in English

1. Feeling tense and restless
2. Feeling easily troubled or angry
3. Feeling depressed or low
4. Feeling inferior to others
5. Having sleep difficulties, such as trouble falling asleep, waking easily, or waking up early
6. Having thoughts of suicide (Additional question)

References

http://www.fzqsng.cn/info/ct/103-75206
https://www.cgh.org.tw/tw/content/depart/CGHPHD/DL/C.pdf
http://jtp.taiwan-pharma.org.tw/108/006-011.html