What Does the Brief Symptom Inventory Measure in College and University Counseling Center Clients?

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) with a college and university counseling center population. Specifically, 2,078 clients from 31 counseling centers completed the BSI at intake. An exploratory factor analysis conducted on half the sample yielded a 6-factor solution rather than the 9-factor solution proposed by L. R. Derogatis (1993) or the 1-factor solution identified in previous research. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis conducted on the remainder of the sample revealed support for the 6-factor model. Implications for using the BSI with counseling center clients, normative data based on client sex, and recommendations for further instrument development are discussed.