title: Measurement characteristics of the mental health scale from the OARS. Older Americans Resources and Services.
abstract: Psychometric properties of the mental health scale from the OARS, which is also called the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES), were explored in a large (N = 2015) cross-sectional sample ranging in age from 26 to 86 years. Results indicated that the 15 SPES items represented three distinctive factors--alienation, somatic symptoms, and depression. Only on somatic symptoms was there a pattern of greater endorsement by older respondents. The results illustrate that global test scores can be misleading, especially when applied to different age groups.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012918:Social Alienation