The British inventory of mental pathology (BIMP): Six factored scales

The first item principal components analysis on the Delusions-Symptoms-States Inventory’s item pool was carried out to assess the coherence of the a priori concepts. This involved the responses of 479 psychiatric patients and 234 normal adult subjects on 104 test items. Principal components analyses produced six oblique scales of six items each, with satisfactory Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients, which were also meaningful clinically. These were Psychological Distress, Grandiose Beliefs, Persecutory Beliefs, Euphoric Mood, Intrusive Thoughts and Acts and Somatic Distress. A principal components analysis of the scale scores produced three higher order factors including ones identified as neurosis and psychosis. The factor, and subscale scores, were examined in relation to the degree of patient involvement with psychiatric services and normal status. These six new scales, to be known as the British Inventory of Mental Pathology (BIMP), should be useful as a quick psychiatric screening measure and as a monitor of change.