Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
Volume 53, Issue 1, 1999, Pages 17-20

The use of self-reports in psychiatric studies of traumatized refugees: Validation and analysis of HSCL-25 (Article)

Lavik N.J.* , Laake P. , Hauff E. , Solberg Ø.
  • a Psychosocial Centre for Refugees, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, Psychosocial Centre for Refugees, University of Oslo, Sognsvegen 218, 0807 Oslo, Norway
  • b Section of Medical Statistics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  • c Psychosocial Centre for Refugees, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  • d Psychosocial Centre for Refugees, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Abstract

A consecutive sample of 231 refugee patients referred to the outpatient unit at the Psychosocial Centre for Refugees, University of Oslo, were examined by means of a semistructured clinical interview, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the self-reports Hopkins Symptoms Check List (HSCL-25) and a checklist for post-traumatic symptoms (PTSS-10). A significant relation was found between the self-report scores on the HSCL-25 and ratings made by the clinician on Global Assessment of Function Scale (GAF) and Global Rating on Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). A further analysis showed that HSCL-25 had a significant relation with mainly two of the four symptom patterns identified in a factor analysis of BPRS, namely Factor II (emotional withdrawal/retardation) and Factor III (anxiety/depression). Multiple regression analyses based on HSCL-25 scores for age, sex, nationality of origin, stay in prison, torture, exposure to war actions, refugee status, and employment situation in Norway showed a significant association with sex, nationality of origin, refugee status, and employment situation in Norway, but with not with any of the traumatization factors.

Author Keywords

Psychiatry Self-report Refugees Organized violence HSCL-25

Index Keywords

anxiety rating scale depression refugee Norway multiple regression human Self Report Aged interview male female symptom Article emotion major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder psychotrauma employment
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0033031017&partnerID=40&md5=75b0269d73aaee4bdf38fb633744092c
ISSN: 08039488
Cited by: 51
Original Language: English