Skip to main content
Log in

The social functioning schedule — A brief semi-structured interview

  • Other Papers
  • Published:
Social psychiatry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A brief interview schedule for assessing social functioning is described which is particularly suited for assessing non-psychotic patients. Interrater reliability by the intraclass correlation coefficient for each part of the schedule ranged from 0.45 to 0.81 on audiotape ratings and from 0.50 to 0.80 with independent interviews. A version of the schedule for informants gave similar levels of agreement. Ratings from patients and informants taken independently revealed highly significant agreement on all sections of the schedule (p<0.01). The schedule also clearly discriminated between patients with personality disorders (with expected problems in social functioning), those with other psychiatric diagnoses, and non-patients. Factor analysis applied to the ratings of 106 neurotic outpatients revealed four factors, domestic and leisure problems, reduced performance, domestic worries and occupational difficulties. The scale is a reliable and valid instrument for recording social functioning and takes only a short time to complete.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aitken, R. C. B.: Measurement of feelings using visual analogue scales. Proc. R. Soc. Med.62, 989–993 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartko, J.J.: The intraclass correlation coefficient as a measure of reliability. Psychol. Rep.19, 3–11 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartko, J. J.: Corrective note to: ‘The intraclass correlation coefficient as a measure of reliability’. Psychol. Rep.34, 418 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bond, A., Lader, M.: The use of analogue scales in rating subjective feelings. Br. J. Med. Psychol.47, 211–218 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cicchetti, D.D., Aivano, S.L., Vitale, J.: A computer program for assessing the reliability and systematic bias of individual measurements. Educ. Psychol. Meas.36, 761–765 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellsworth, R. B.: Consumer feedback in measuring the effectiveness of mental health programs. In: Handbook of Evaluation Research, Vol. 2, (eds. P. Guttenlay, M. Struening). London: Sage Publications 1975

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellsworth, R. B., Foster, L., Childers, B., Arthur, G., Kroeker, P.: Hospital and community adjustment as perceived by psychiatric patients, their families, and staff. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol.32, 1–41 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Feffer, M., Phillips, L.: Social attainment and performance under stress. J. Pers.22, 284–297 (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  • Folstein, M. F., Luria, R.: Reliability, validity and clinical application of the visual analogue mood scale. Psychol. Med.3, 479–486 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank, J. D.: Persuasion and healing. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press 1961

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, H. E., Simmons, G. G.: The mental patient comes home. New York: John Wiley 1963

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurland, B.J., Yorkston, N.J., Stone, A. R., Frank, J. D., Fleiss, J. L.: The structured and scaled interview to assess maladjustment (SSIAM) 1. Description, rationale and development. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry27, 259–264 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewett, S.: Towards a measure of social performance? (unpublished) (1975)

  • Hogarty, G.E., Katz, M.M.: Norms of adjustment and social behaviour. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry25, 470–480 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, M.M., Lyerly, S.B.: Methods for measuring adjustment and social behaviour in the community: I. Rationale, description, discriminative validity and scale development. Psychol. Rep.13, 503–535 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Malan, D.H., Bacal, H.A., Heath, E.S., Balfour, F.H.G.: A study of psychodynamic changes in untreated neurotic patients. Br. J. Psychiatry114, 525–551 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Offer, D., Sabshin, M.: Normality. New York, London: Basic Books 1966

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul, G. L.: Strategy of outcome research in psychotherapy. J. Consult. Psychol.31, 109–117 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Paykel, E.S., Weissman, M.M., Prusoff, B.A., Tonks, C.M.: Dimensions of social adjustment in depressed women. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis.152, 158–172 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, L., Zigler, E.: Social competence: The action-thought parameter and vicariousness in normal and pathological behaviours. J. Abnorm. Soc. Psychol.63, 137–146 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Remington, M., Tyrer, P. J., Newson-Smith, J., Cicchetti, D. V.: Comparative reliability of categorical and analogue rating scales in the assessment of psychiatric symptomatology. (In press 1979)

  • Ruesch, J., Brodsky, C. M.: The concept of social disability. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry19, 394–403 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Spitzer, R.L., Endicott, J., Fleiss, J.L., Cohen, J.: The psychiatric status schedule. A technique for evaluating psychopathology and impairment in role functioning. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry23, 41–55 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyrer, P., Remington, M.: A controlled comparison of day hospital and out-patient care for neurotic disorders. (In press 1979)

  • Weissman, M.M., Klerman, G.L., Paykel, E.S., Prusoff, B., Hanson, B.: Treatment effects on the social adjustment of depressed patients. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry30, 771–778 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wing, J.K., Cooper, J.E., Sartorius, N.: The measurement and classification of psychiatric symptoms. London: Cambridge University Press 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Zealley, A. K., Aitken, R. C. B.: Measurement of mood. Proc. R. Soc. Med.62, 993–996 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Remington, M., Tyrer, P. The social functioning schedule — A brief semi-structured interview. Soc Psychiatry 14, 151–157 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582182

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582182

Keywords

Navigation