Key features

• Cross-modality: One questionnaire usable for transcranial magnetic (TMS), electrical (tES) and ultrasound stimulation (tUS)

• Repeated-measure: Suitable for routine session-by-session monitoring

• Development: Based on empirical session data and structured literature review

• Acute vs. delayed effects: Separates sensations during stimulation from effects between sessions

• Usability: Revised via expert review for clarity, structure, and layout

• Availability: Open Access & professional translations for 15 languages 

Publication
Selaskowski, B., Koelsch, C., Baeken, C., Blumberger, D. M., Brunoni, A. R., Hurlemann, R., Lerma-Usabiaga, G., Noda, Y., Paz-Alonso, P. M., Rivadulla, C., Sun, J., Venkatasubramanian, G., Sack, A. T., Rossi, S., Valero-Cabré, A., & Kiebs, M. (2026). The Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Side Effect Scale (NIBS-SES): Development of a brief, multilingual questionnaire for monitoring adverse effects in transcranial magnetic, electrical and ultrasound stimulation. Brain Stimulation, 19(6), 103252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2026.103252 

FAQ

Is the questionnaire available in multiple languages?

Yes. Questionnaire has been professionally translated and reviewed by field experts for Arabic, Basque, Catalan, Dutch, French, Galician, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Persian, Portuguese, Spanish. All translations were reviewed for conceptual accuracy by field experts.

Is there a digital version of the questionnaire available?

In addition to the paper-and-pencil version, ready-to-import files for REDCap, Qualtrics and SoSci Survey are available in all 16 languages, together with a user manual. Each language folder on OSF contains all files for that language. 

Can the questionnaire be used repeatedly across sessions?

Yes. The NIBS-SES was developed for repeated, session-by-session administration and is suitable for routine monitoring across multiple sessions.

Does the NIBS-SES distinguish between acute and delayed side effects?

Yes. The instrument distinguishes between sensations or effects occurring during stimulation and those occurring between sessions.

How was the NIBS-SES developed?

Development combined empirical session data and structured literature review of adverse effects across TMS, tES, and tUS. An initial item pool was informed by 851 TMS sessions and adverse effects reported in the literature. The questionnaire was refined using structured expert ratings. Longitudinal analyses supported feasibility for repeated administration. The final NIBS-SES distinguishes effects occurring during stimulation from those occurring between sessions.

Can I freely use the NIBS-SES in my study or clinic?

Yes. The NIBS-SES is open access and released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. You may use, share, and adapt it —including for clinical or commercial contexts—provided you give appropriate credit and cite the original source.

Please refer to the following citations as examples: 

APA

Selaskowski, B., Koelsch, C., Baeken, C., Blumberger, D. M., Brunoni, A. R., Hurlemann, R., Lerma-Usabiaga, G., Noda, Y., Paz-Alonso, P. M., Rivadulla, C., Sun, J., Venkatasubramanian, G., Sack, A. T., Rossi, S., Valero-Cabré, A., & Kiebs, M. (2026). The Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Side Effect Scale (NIBS-SES): Development of a brief, multilingual questionnaire for monitoring adverse effects in transcranial magnetic, electrical and ultrasound stimulation. Brain Stimulation, 19(6), Article 103252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2026.103252 

Vancouver

Selaskowski B, Koelsch C, Baeken C, Blumberger DM, Brunoni AR, Hurlemann R, Lerma-Usabiaga G, Noda Y, Paz-Alonso PM, Rivadulla C, Sun J, Venkatasubramanian G, Sack AT, Rossi S, Valero-Cabré A, Kiebs M. The Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Side Effect Scale (NIBS-SES): development of a brief, multilingual questionnaire for monitoring adverse effects in transcranial magnetic, electrical and ultrasound stimulation. Brain Stimul. 2026;19(6):103252. doi:10.1016/j.brs.2026.103252 

Can I adapt or translate the questionnaire?

Yes. Adaptations and translations are permitted under CC BY 4.0. You may use, share, adapt, and translate the questionnaire for any purposes, as long as you give appropriate credit and cite the original publication/source.