Evaluating the psychometric properties of the mental health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF)

• Published in: Journal of clinical psychology 2011-01, Vol.67 (1), p.99-110
• Main Authors: Lamers, Sanne M.A., Westerhof, Gerben J., Bohlmeijer, Ernst T., ten Klooster, Peter M., Keyes, Corey L.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Checklist - standards; Clinical psychology; confirmatory factor analysis; Emotions; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Humans; Likelihood Functions; Male; Medical sciences; Mental disorders; Mental Health; mental illness; Middle Aged; Netherlands; Personal Satisfaction; positive mental health; Psychological aspects; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; psychometric properties; Psychometrics - instrumentation; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quantitative psychology; subjective well-being; Techniques and methods; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0021-9762; 1097-4679
• DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20741

There is a growing consensus that mental health is not merely the absence of mental illness, but it also includes the presence of positive feelings (emotional well‐being) and positive functioning in individual life (psychological well‐being) and community life (social well‐being). We examined the structure, reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the Mental Health Continuum‐Short Form (MHC‐SF), a new self‐report questionnaire for positive mental health assessment. We expected that the MHC‐SF is reliable and valid, and that mental health and mental illness are 2 related but distinct continua. This article draws on data of the LISS panel of CentERdata, a representative panel for Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (N = 1,662). Results revealed high internal and moderate test‐retest reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the 3‐factor structure in emotional, psychological, and social well‐being. These subscales correlated well with corresponding aspects of well‐being and functioning, showing convergent validity. CFA supported the hypothesis of 2 separate yet related factors for mental health and mental illness, showing discriminant validity. Although related to mental illness, positive mental health is a distinct indicator of mental well‐being that is reliably assessed with the MHC‐SF. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 00:1–12, 2010.