What do you think: Do people accurately report their own psychological symptoms?

The reliability of self-reported psychological symptoms is a complex issue. When individuals are asked to complete checklists to evaluate their own psychological experiences or to assess the symptoms of others, they often perceive this task as straightforward and accessible. This method of data collection has gained popularity, largely due to its cost-effectiveness and the familiarity it offers; self-assessment forms have become a common feature in both clinical environments and personal reflection tools. Not only that, but who didn’t fill in bubble sheets to answer questions at school? 

However, the accuracy of these self-reports should be considered as what they are: a single person’s perception of a problem or set of problems. Individuals may, whether intentionally or unintentionally, distort their symptom descriptions. This can stem from a variety of motivations, such as an intrinsic desire to project an image of being healthier or, conversely, to seek attention by appearing more troubled than they actually are. If the discrepancies in reporting are serious enough, they raise concerns about the validity of the data collected through these self-assessments, or, at minimum, cause us to consider why someone may have completed these self-reports the way they did.

We also know that people do not know themselves as well as they think they do. Research has consistently indicated that people often have a limited understanding of their own psychological states. Many tend to overestimate their level of self-awareness and insight into their emotional and mental experiences. This inherent disconnect can lead to a skewed perception, resulting in inaccurate reporting of symptoms. It is clear that individuals may not possess the level of self-knowledge they believe they do, which complicates the process of accurately gauging psychological well-being through self-report measures. Any tool can be useful - we just need to make sure we follow the instruction manual to make sure we’re using it the right way.

What do you think?