Systematic self-assessment by P.Q.R.S.T.

Abstract

This paper presents a Personal Questionnaire which is sufficiently simple for use in most clinical settings. Following a brief description of Personal Questionnaires, their origin and background are discussed and some subsequent developments delineated. The method involves the use of a general set of adjectives which can be used to qualify the symptoms experienced by any given patient. Successive measurements of the symptoms can be made so that changes in their subjective intensity can be monitored. The internal consistency of ratings of each symptom on each occasion is used as a measure of reliability. As with all previous Personal Questionnaires the symptoms which are measured are unique to the individual, but unlike other methods the format of this Questionnaire is predetermined, which ensures its simplicity and ease of use.