Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure of the Arabic Version of the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire

2001 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tewfik K. Daradkeh ◽  
Rafia Ghubash ◽  
Omer E. F. El-Rufaie

The aim was to examine the psychometric properties of the Arabic 12-item General Health Questionnaire in a sample of university students. A sample of 157 university students was screened using this questionnaire and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90. A standardized clinical interview using SCID was conducted on a subset of screened students. Reliability, validity, and factor analysis of the questionnaire were evaluated. Using factor score discrimination between cases and noncases was also evaluated. The Arabic version of the GHQ-12 proved to be reliable as indicated by Cronbach alpha of .86. The best balance between sensitivity and specificity was found at the General Health Questionnaire cut-off point of 15/16: at this threshold, sensitivity was .88 and was paired with a specificity of .84. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation identified three factors, namely, Factor A (general dysphoria), Factor B (lack of enjoyment), and Factor C (social dysfunction). Factors A and C discriminated between clinically distressed and clinically nondistressed subjects. The General Health Questionnaire-12 as a whole is a reliable and valid screening tool in university settings.

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miodraga Stefanovska Petkovska ◽  
Marjan I. Bojadziev ◽  
Vesna Velikj Stefanovska

AIM: The aim of the study is to analyze the internal consistency; validity and factor structure of the twelve item General Health Questionnaire for the Macedonian general population.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data came from nationally representative sample of 1603 randomly selected Macedonians all aged 18 years or older.RESULTS: The mean GHQ score in the general sample was found to be 7.9 (SD = 4.3). The results revealed a higher GHQ score among women (M = 8.91, SD = 4.5) compared to men (M = 6.89; SD = 4.2). The participants from the rural areas obtained a lower GHQ score (M = 7.55, SD = 3.8) compared to participants coming from the urban areas (M = 9.37, SD = 4.1). The principal component analysis with oblique rotation (direct oblimin) with maximum likelihood procedure solution was performed and the results yielded a three factor solution which jointly accounted for 57.17% of the total variance: Factor I named social management (items 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8); Factor II stress (items 2, 5 and 9) and Factor III named self-confidence (items 10, 11 and 12). Its factor structure is in line with representative research from other population groups.CONCLUSION: The GHQ-12 can be used effectively for assessment of the overall psychological well-being and detection of non-psychotic psychiatric problems among the Macedonian population.


2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 829-835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa K. Hamilton ◽  
Robert D. Schweitzer

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between dimensions of perfectionism and suicide ideation in a tertiary student population in Australia. Method: The methodology involved 405 students completing the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) which includes a subset of questions which can be used to assess suicide ideation, and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Results: The presence of suicide ideation was associated with higher scores on total perfectionism and two perfectionism dimensions, and total GHQ scores. There were significant differences between participants with high levels of perfectionism and participants with moderate to low levels of perfectionism on a measure of suicide ideation. Neither gender nor age were associated with differences in the scores, with results indicating high levels of perfectionism may indicate a vulnerability to suicide ideation. Conclusions: Perfectionism is a valued attribute in high-achieving populations. The question needs to be asked, however, at what cost? The findings indicate that high levels of perfectionism may be associated with an increased vulnerability to suicide ideation. Future research is needed to gain a better understanding of the complex interrelationship between personality and temperament, environmental factors and self-destructive behaviour.


1999 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 971-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liza Day ◽  
John Maltby ◽  
Ann Macaskill

62 undergraduate university students were administered the 12-item Belief in Good Luck Scale of Darke and Freedman and the General Health Questionnaire of Goldberg and Williams. Scores on belief in good luck showed a significant correlation of −.29 with anxiety and −.35 with depression but correlations were not significant for somatic symptoms (.15) and social dysfunction (.15).


1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yekeen A. Aderibigbe ◽  
William Riley ◽  
Terry Lewin ◽  
Oye Gureje

Objective: The factor structure of responses to the twenty-eight-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) in a sample of 277 Nigerian antenatal women was examined. Method: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Varimax rotation were used. Results: A four factor structure interpretable as social dysfunction, somatic-anxiety, depression-anxiety, and severe depression was obtained. Conclusion: Although the factor structure in this sample is similar to that previously reported with this instrument, the factor loadings, particularly for the anxiety subscale differed. Thus, the factor structures of the GHQ may differ depending on the cultural background of the sample.


1970 ◽  
pp. 55-65
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Adamczyk ◽  
Barbara Jankowiak ◽  
Emilia Soroko

The aim of this online survey was to test the hypothesis that self-construals (Independent self-construal and Interdependent self-construal) mediate the association between relationship status (single vs. partnered) and mental health. Four hundred and twenty-nine university students (327 females and 102 males) 19-25 (M = 21.79, SD = 1.72) completed the Polish versions of the General Health Questionnaire-28 and Self-Construal Scale. The results indicated that although different configurtions of self-construals are related to the level of experienced anxiety, the aspects of mental health analyzed are not related to the interaction between relationship status (partnered vs single) and 4 configurationsof self-construals. At the same time, the revealed lack of correlation between relationship status and mental health is contradictory to expectations and hypotheses. The results suggest that university students are perhaps in the middle of a prolonged moratorium, and in consequence, not making an attempt to fulfilldevelopmental tasks characteristic for (young) adults cannot be seen as an indicator of any aspect of psychological health.


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