The Psychometric Properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory Hostility and Anxiety Subscales in a Prison Population.

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) hostility and anxiety subscales in prison inmates. Methods Reliability and construct validity of the BSI hostility and anxiety subscales were examined using Cronbach's alphas, factor analysis, and hypothesis testing. Results Of the 373 male inmates, 63% were White with a mean age of 36 years. Cronbach's alphas for hostility and anxiety were 0.83 and 0.81, supporting internal consistency. Factor analysis demonstrated two dimensions, hostility and anxiety. Supporting construct validity, inmates with higher hostility as well as those with higher anxiety had a greater number of mentally unhealthy days and lower perceived control. Conclusion The BSI hostility and anxiety subscales are reliable and valid for use in prison inmates.