Dimensions of symptoms shared by women and men in the Somatic Symptoms Scale-Revised (ESS-R)

Abstract

The aims of this study were to contrast a structure of 8 correlated factors for Sandin and Chorot’s Somatic Symptoms Scale Revised (Escala de Síntomas Somáticos Revisada, ESS-R; Sandin, 1999), to explore alternative models, to verify the high internal consistencies of the scale and its factors, furthermore to describe their distributions with the expectation of positive skewness. The ESS-R scale was applied to a random sample of 446 Mexican undergraduates. The data sustained the hypothesis, although a fit with adequate indexes required reducing the number of indicators per factor. We support the use of the scale in Mexico and its study in other samples and countries.