The SMU Health Questionnaire (SMUHQ)

Abstract

The SMU Health Questionnaire (SMUHQ) is a comprehensive self-report instrument developed by David Watson and James W. Pennebaker in the late 1980s. It was designed to provide a broad assessment of an individual’s health status and somatic complaints, expanding upon the scope of earlier health measures like the PILL.

Comprising 63 items, the SMUHQ covers a wide spectrum of physical issues, ranging from transient symptoms (e.g., sore throat, abdominal pain) and minor acute illnesses (e.g., cold or flu) to serious chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, cancer). Participants are required to indicate any health problem they have experienced within the past year. The scale allows for the construction of a specific Symptom scale, derived via factor analysis, which is frequently used in research exploring the connection between psychological distress, such as Negative Affectivity, and physical health outcomes.

Keywords

Health complaints, Symptom scale, Physical health, Negative Affectivity, Somatic symptoms, Chronic illness, Psychological assessment, Health assessment.

Authors

David Watson, James W. Pennebaker.

Purpose

The principal purpose of the SMU Health Questionnaire (SMUHQ) is the quantitative measurement of a broad and diverse range of self-reported health problems experienced by respondents. The scale moves beyond simple checklists of major diseases to include common physical symptoms and minor complaints, providing a more sensitive indicator of overall perceived health burden.

This comprehensive scope enables researchers to investigate the complex interplay between psychological factors, particularly those related to stress and dispositional mood states, and the frequency with which individuals report physical complaints. The resulting score, especially from the derived Symptom scale, often serves as a measure of somatic distress or perceived vulnerability to illness over the preceding twelve months.

Construct

The SMUHQ primarily measures the construct of general Health Complaints and Somatic Distress. This construct encompasses both self-reported physical symptoms (minor complaints without formal diagnosis) and the presence of diagnosed acute or chronic medical conditions. The scale is designed to capture the total number of different health issues reported by the participant.

A significant theoretical application of the SMUHQ is its utility in exploring the role of Negative Affectivity (NA). The scale developers utilized factor analysis to isolate a Symptom scale that correlates strongly with NA, suggesting that the tendency to experience negative emotions is closely linked to the reporting of physical symptoms. This connection highlights the construct’s relevance in psychopathology research.

Validity

The foundational validity of the SMUHQ is established through its rigorous development process and its alignment with theoretical models linking personality and physical health. The scale’s broad coverage ensures high content validity across various domains of physical well-being, from minor ailments to serious systemic illnesses.

The structural validity of the derived Symptom scale is supported by the results of the principal factor analysis, which identified a strong, unifying factor underlying symptom reporting. A key decision to enhance construct validity was the exclusion of the item “depression” from the final Symptom scale due to its conceptual overlap with measures of Negative and Positive Affect, thereby ensuring the Symptom scale focused predominantly on somatic, non-mood-related complaints.

Reliability

Specific coefficients for internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) or temporal stability (test-retest reliability) are not detailed in the summary source. However, the reliability of the scale, particularly the derived Symptom scale, is inferred from the strong psychometric grounding provided by the authors’ primary publication.

The consistent structure identified across the sample population suggests that the instrument reliably captures the underlying common variance associated with symptom reporting. Researchers seeking detailed reliability data are directed to the seminal work by Watson and Pennebaker (1989), which thoroughly explores the psychometric properties of the scale in relation to Negative Affectivity.

Factor Analysis

The development of the SMUHQ involved a principal factor analysis performed on the 63 items using data collected from a sample of 437 undergraduate students. The primary objective of this analysis was to empirically separate the general tendency to report minor symptoms from the reporting of major, diagnosed chronic illnesses.

The analysis successfully extracted a broad first factor, which accounted for 23.2% of the common variance. This factor represented the general dimension of health complaints. Based on the strongest loadings on this factor, a Symptom scale was constructed, comprising 13 items. The researchers intentionally excluded the item “depression” from this final Symptom scale to maintain conceptual independence from measures of Negative and Positive Affect, which were critical variables in their subsequent research.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire, Symptom checklist.

Format: 63 dichotomous items (check/uncheck) regarding health experiences over the past year, supplemented by demographic and hospitalization data collection.

Language Available: English (Original development language).

Population Group: General population, frequently used in non-clinical settings.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (validated initially on undergraduate students).

Population Details: The initial psychometric analysis was based on a sample of 437 undergraduate students. It is suitable for research focusing on young adult populations and the relationship between psychological variables and health reporting.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate by checking a box every health problem experienced in the last year, explicitly including conditions managed by medication. The resulting Symptom scale score is calculated as the total frequency count of checked items within the defined subscale.

Keywords

Health assessment, Symptom reporting, Psychometrics, Watson and Pennebaker, Somatic complaints, Factor analysis, Undergraduate research.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The SMUHQ was primarily developed and analyzed by Watson and Pennebaker, with key findings published in 1989. The scale is typically classified as an academic research instrument. Specific permissions, licensing fees, or formal distribution costs are not standardized in the source data. Researchers interested in using the scale for non-commercial academic purposes should contact the authors or their affiliated institutions (likely Southern Methodist University).

Reference’s

• Watson, D. (1988). Intraindividual and interindividual analyses of Positive and Negative Affect: Their relation to health complaints, perceived stress, and daily activities. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1020-1030.

• Watson, D., & Pennebaker, J.W. (1989). Health complaints, stress, and distress: Exploring the central role of Negative Affectivity. Psychological Review, 96, 234-254.

Items of the The SMU Health Questionnaire (SMUHQ)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Age_____ Sex_____ Marital Status_____

Religious Upbringing: Catholic_____ Protestant_____ Jewish_____ Islam_____ Other_____

Highest level of education that you have completed__________

Place a check in front of every health problem you have had during the last year. Be sure to check every health problem you used to have but now control with medication or treatment:

_____cold or flu _____significant weight gain
_____diabetes _____significant weight loss
_____anemia _____headache (not migraine)
_____fainting _____low blood pressure
_____hernia _____high blood pressure (hypertension)
_____diarrhea _____arthritis or rheumatism
_____hemorrhoids _____abdominal or stomach pain
_____rash _____gall bladder problems
_____appendicitis _____lung or respiratory problems
_____paralysis _____heartbeat irregularity
_____ulcer _____high cholesterol
_____skin cancer _____chronic back problem
_____sore throat _____kidney or urinary tract problems
_____constipation _____eye problem (sty, cataract)
_____ear ache _____thrombosis (blood clots)
_____vomiting _____water retention (bloating)
_____asthma _____serious dental problems (incl. gums)
_____emphysema _____angina or chest pain
_____colitis _____migraine headache
_____seizures _____thyroid problem
_____bulimia _____anorexia nervosa
_____allergies _____grinding of teeth or TMJ
_____blackouts _____multiple sclerosis
_____depression _____breast cancer
_____indigestion _____other cancer
_____severe acne _____benign tumor
_____mononucleosis _____liver problem
_____broken bones _____sexual problems(impotency, frigidity)
_____pregnancy _____venereal disease (incl. herpes)
_____endometriosis(cramps) _____pre‐menstrual syndrome
_____obesity _____other reproductive (cysts, prostate)
_____other health problems; Specify:

How many days during the last year were you hospitalized for each of the following:
surgery_____ childbirth_____ psychological problems_____
injury_____ illness_____ drug/alcohol problems______