[The Checklist for Evaluation of Somatic Symptoms (CHESS). Its use in anxious and depressive pathology. Factor structure]

Abstract

The CH.E.S.S. is a new inventory for the assessment of somatic symptoms and complaints. Initialy it included 57 items (43 somatic complaints, 12 neurological signs and 2 "other symptoms"). The CH.E.S.S. was scored before treatment on two groups of patients (133 anxious and 133 depressed) with no schizophrenic or organic symptomatology. 71 somatic complaints or symptoms were identified. A principal component analysis with a subsequent Varimax rotation yelded 25 factors with 18 of clinical significance. 12 factors significantly discriminate between the two groups. Seven factors (21 items) have higher scores in depressed patients: sleep and general somatic disorders, 2) general impairment of intellectual functioning, 3) neurological, 4) neuro-muscular hypo-excitability, 5) lower limbs oedema-amimia, 6) and 7) digestive. Five factors (18 items) have higher scores in anxious patients: 1) and 2) autonomic hyperactivity, 3) neuro-muscular hyper-excitability, 4) digestive, 5) micturition disorders with limb paresthesias. According to these results the 67 items new version of the check-list (CH.E.S.S. 82) includes 51 somatic complaints or symptoms and 16 neurological signs.