The Somatic Symptom Scale - 8 (SSS-8) is a brief self-report questionnaire designed to assess the burden of common somatic symptoms. It is an abbreviated version of the PHQ-15, originally created for use in the DSM-5 field trials to evaluate somatic symptom disorder. The SSS-8 includes eight key symptoms, including stomach or bowel problems, back pain, headaches, and trouble sleeping. Respondents are asked to rate how much these symptoms have bothered them over the past seven days on a scale from "not at all" to "very much." This tool is widely used in various medical settings to evaluate somatic symptoms in individuals with chronic illnesses and to track changes over time, making it useful in both diagnosis and treatment planning.

Self-report

8

13+

Can be used as a one-time screening measure or weekly to monitor somatic symptoms and treatment progress.

Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale of 0 (“Not at all”) to 4 (“Very much”). Scoring the SSS-8 involves summing the ratings for all eight items, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 32. Scores are categorized into different levels of somatic symptom burden. Scoring interpretation is as follows:

N/A

Gierk, B., Kohlmann, S., Kroenke, K., Spangenberg, L., Zenger, M., Brähler, E., & Löwe, B. (2014). The Somatic Symptom Scale–8 (SSS-8): A brief measure of somatic symptom burden. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 399–407. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.12179

Do you have follow-up questions? We're here and happy to help!
​
Send us an email at help@blueprint-health.com or use the help messenger in the lower right corner to speak with our Support team. 💪🏼