The Heimler Scale of Social Functioning (HSSF) is an effective instrument for evaluating psychosocial stress and dysfunction. When tested, the HSSF clearly differentiated between two different patient groups: those who had scheduled initial appointments for outpatient psychotherapy and those who were participating in a multiphasic health examination. Both groups were composed of members of the same prepaid health plan, utilizing the same medical center, and were comparable to each other in all respects except age. This scale has excellent potential for use as a screening instrument by primary care physicians in clinics and medical centers, psychotherapists in various clinical settings, and psychiatric professionals in outpatients services.