Sheehan Irritability Scale (SIS)
About the SIS
License Agreement for Use of the SIS
Training for the SIS
Translations and Linguistic Validation of the SIS
How to Cite the SIS
About the SIS
The Sheehan Irritability Scale (SIS), a seven-item self-report rating scale. It was developed to measure the frequency, severity and impairment associated with irritability. It is designed to be a sensitive outcome measure, sensitive to change and to treatment effects in patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders. The SIS consists of seven items that assess symptoms of irritability, frustration, edginess/impatience, moodiness, anger with self, anger with others and temper during the previous week. Each item is assessed on an 11-point numeric rating scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely). The SIS total score is calculated by summing of the scores for each of the seven individual items and ranges from 0 to 70. A higher score indicates greater symptomatology. There is an additional assessment question of how frequently irritability interfered with ability to function at work/school, socially or with family members, but is not part of the total score. The SIS can be used as a baseline assessment and at any time interval.
Validation of SIS
The objective of the SIS validation study (Khan et al) was to examine the psychometric properties (i.e. reliability, validity) of the SIS in patients in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This study evaluated reliability, validity (construct and known groups) and responsiveness of the SIS. It examined the psychometric properties of two modes of administration – the self-administered (US sample) and clinician-administered through patient interview (non-US sample) – with the goal of evaluating equivalence between the two. These psychometric characteristics were evaluated through a secondary analysis of clinical trial data. The Khan et al study reported that “the SIS has excellent reliability, acceptable validity, and good responsiveness, making the SIS appropriate for use in clinical research and practice”. Another report by Mannix et al supported the content validity of the Sheehan Irritability Scale.
For any scientific questions relating to the SIS, contact David V Sheehan MD MBA directly by email at: davidVsheehan@gmail.com
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Customizable
Dr. Sheehan can design customized versions of the SIS to meet the needs of a specific study or clinical setting. Contact Dr. Sheehan at davidVsheehan@gmail.com to discuss a customized version designed for your needs.
License Agreement for Use of the SIS
Dr. Sheehan licenses the SIS in paper format for distribution as follows : 1) in paper format for any uses; or 2) in fixed pdf form, paper form, or both for use in clinical or academic research trials or studies.
To license the SIS for use there is a charge of $4 per single administration (not per patient enrolled) for non-customized versions. The amount must be paid in full before study initiation. (click here to download a copy of this license agreement)
Training for the SIS
For information about training on the SIS, please contact: davidVsheehan@gmail.com
Translations and Linguistic Validation of the SIS
The non-profit Mapi Research Trust (MAPI) / ICON Language Services, in Lyon, France, is the sole translation service for existing non-English translations for all rating scales and diagnostic interviews that Dr. Sheehan licenses and distributes directly under a license from him.
Dr. Sheehan has collaborated closely with MAPI on these translations for over 15 years and continues to do so. This is to ensure the production of consistent and conceptually equivalent translations of the MINI and its variants and of Dr. Sheehan’s scales, and to be able to provide linguistic validation and certification of these translations. MAPI / Icon Language Services does not distribute the English source language version of the SIS, which is available from Dr. Sheehan directly.
When Dr. Sheehan fully executes your license agreement request, he will provide you with the information to contact MAPI / Icon Language Services to obtain consistent and conceptually equivalent, and linguistically validated translations and the related certificates.
MAPI / Icon Language Services may charge its own usual fees for this work.
How to Cite the SIS
Use the following citations in referencing the SIS:
1. Khan SA, Revicki DA, Hassan M, Locklear JC, Friedman LA, Mannix S, Tummala R, Eriksson H and Sheehan DV. Assessing the reliability and validity of the Sheehan Irritability Scale in patients with major depressive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 2016;77(8):1080-1086. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.14m09719
2. Mannix S; Hassan M, Tummala R, Locklear JC, Revicki DA, Khan S, Dunbar GC, Eriksson H, Sheehan, DV. Content validity of the Sheehan Irritability Scale in patients with major depressive disorder. International Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/YIC.0000000000000113