SOCIAL FUNCTIONING SCHEDULE - BRIEF SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW

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. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.