The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) is a widely used measure of symptom distress and in particular is a valuable criterion measure in psychotherapeutic drug trials. Its reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change have been well established. However, its factor structure has been subject to much debate. In previous studies a wide range of different factor structum have been found by various researchers. The aim of the present study was to produce a short, less arduous, but acceptably reliable version of HSCL with a replifablc factor structure. The factor structure which was based on a previously described. robust thm-factor version of the HSCL, was established usinga two-step process which began with a two-factor analysis ofthe largest subscales. General Feclings of Dislrss (GFD) and Somatic Distress (SD). This was followed by a three-fastor analysis of xven items from each of three subscales. The robustness of the factor structure of the resultin scale w a revealed by the factor comparison procedure FACTOREP using the responses ofthe three subject groups. Consistent replications were obtained for the two-factor structure of the GFD and S D items. and for the threc-factor structure of the xven GFD. seven SD, and xven Performance Difficuhy (PD) items. The outcome was a 21-item version of the HSCL with excellent psychometric properties, which was subsquently confirmed using a fourth independent group of subjects.The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) is a self-report symptom rating inventory consisting of 58 items which was developed primarily as a criterion measure in psychotherapeutic drug trials. It has been found by researchers in the United States to be both a reliable and valid psychoIogical instrument for the measurement of neurotic symptoms (Derogatis, Lipman, Rickels, Uhlenhuth, & Covi.

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The short and long term impact of exposure to cadavers and prosections was examined with 114 occupational therapy and physiotherapy students attending the Auckland Institute of Technology. Pre-exposure measures included a shortened version of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist to assess general distress, and an event-specific apprehension questionnaire. Thirty per cent of students exhibited a post-traumatic stress reaction as measured by the Impact of Event Scale. Eighteen months later, 7 per cent still exhibited symptoms of stress. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that high general distress, high event-specific apprehension and being a member of the physiotherapy student group were associated with high scores on the Impact of Event Scale. These findings indicate that the cadaver experience had a significant impact on these students, although the effect diminished over time.

The factor structure of the WAIS-R has been the subject of much debate and recently researchers have examined multiple independent samples and compared the resulting factor structures using the coefficient of congruence. On the basis of this, one recent study concluded that the WAIS-R had three clear factors. In the present study this conclusion was questioned and it was claimed that the previous result was an artifact caused by the large general factor found in the WAIS-R. The present study aimed to clarify the situation by using identical data but the alternative factor comparison technique, FACTOREP, which was able to reduce the influence of both error variance and the general factor. On the basis of this comparison it was demonstrated that the WAIS-R has two strong factors but that there is little evidence for the existence of a third factor.

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