Start delivering measurement based mental health care

Conduct psychological assessments remotely, get scores automatically, and maintain clinical records securely

Create account
Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17

Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17

What is PSC-17

The Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17) is a 17-item screening questionnaire that is completed by parents and designed to help pediatricians in outpatient practice identify school-age children with difficulties in psychosocial functioning. The PSC-17 is a briefer version of the 35-item Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC).

PSC-17 Printable PDF

You can create a free account on PsyPack to access fillable PDFs, manuals and educational resources for the PSC-17

PSC-17 Scoring and Interpretation

The PSC-17 is a shortened version of the PSC-35 and consists of 17 items.

Each item is rated as “NEVER,” “SOMETIMES,” or “OFTEN” present and scored 0, 1, and 2 respectively.

The total score is calculated by adding together the score for each of the 17 items. Positive PSC-17 score > 15

Attention, externalizing and internalizing subscale scores are calculated by adding the score for each corresponding symbol:

  • Attention Subscale - Items 1, 3, 7, 13, 17, positive score > 7
  • Externalizing Subscale - Items 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, positive score > 7
  • Internalizing Subscale - Items 2, 6, 9, 11, 15, positive score > 5

Positive PSC-17 score ≥ 15 Attention, positive score ≥ 7 Externalizing, positive score ≥ 7 Internalizing, positive score ≥ 5

A positive score on the PSC-17 is not a diagnosis and should not be used to label a child. It is a signal for further examination of the child and family.

Higher Scores can indicate an increased likelihood of a behavioral health disorder being present.

A positive score on the PSC-17 or any of the subscales suggests the need for further evaluation by a qualified health or mental health professional.

PsyPack can automatically score the PSC-17 assessment and prepare corresponding tables and graphs.

PSC-17 sample result

Further, PsyPack automatically plots a graph to help you easily track progress over time.

PSC-17 track progress

Sample Report of PSC-17

Domain

Psychosocial Functioning

What does PSC-17 measure

The purpose of the evaluation is to:

  • identify school-age children with difficulties in psychosocial functioning.

Administration

Parent/Caregiver-administered

Type of outcome tool

Clinical

Assessment modes

Questionnaire

Age and eligibility

4 to 15 years

Estimated time

Less than 5 minutes

Notes

Since the questionnaire relies on client's observations, all responses should be verified by the clinician, and a definitive diagnosis is made on clinical grounds taking into account how well the client understood the questionnaire, as well as other relevant information from the client.

The PSC-17 is not meant to be used as a diagnostic tool.

A positive score on the PSC-17 is not a diagnosis and should not be used to label a child. It is a signal for further examination of the child and family.

A positive score on the PSC-17 or any of the subscales suggests the need for further evaluation by a qualified health or mental health professional.

  • The PSC-17 subscales have obtained reasonable agreement with validated and accepted parent-report instruments for internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems.
  • Cronbach’s α was high for each subscale, i.e., the items in each subscale have similar meanings for a parent reporting his/her impressions of his/her child.
  • Both false positives and false negatives occur, and only an experienced health professional should interpret a positive PSC health score as anything other than a suggestion that further evaluation may be helpful.

  • “Attention” diagnoses can include: ADHD, ADD
  • “Internalizing” diagnoses can include: Any anxiety or mood disorder
  • “Externalizing” diagnoses can include: Conduct disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, adjustment disorder with disturbed conduct or mixed disturbed mood and conduct

Attribution and References

Gardner, William et al. “The PSC-17: A brief pediatric symptom checklist with psychosocial problem subscales. A report from PROS and ASPN.” Ambulatory Child Health 5 (1999): 225-236.