Validity and psychometric properties of the General Health Questionnaire-12 in young Australian adolescents.
BACKGROUND
The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is a measure of current mental wellbeing that has been extensively validated with adults. The instrument has also been used with adolescents.


OBJECTIVE
(i) To assess the psychometric properties of the GHQ-12 among school students in grades 7-10; (ii) to validate it against other psychological tests; and (iii) to suggest a threshold score.


METHODS
The survey was conducted in single sex and mixed schools from the state and private system in Perth, Western Australia. The survey contained the GHQ-12 and measures of anxiety, depression, self-esteem, stress, generalized self-efficacy, social desirability and negative affectivity.


RESULTS
There were 336 students (female 55%) with an age range of 11-15 years (median 13). The GHQ showed good internal consistency (alpha 0.88). Girls had higher mean GHQ-12 scores than boys (F (1,326) 15.0, p < 0.001) and scores for both genders increased with school grade (F (3,326) 4.2, p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression showed that depression, anxiety, self-esteem and stress were significant independent predictors of GHQ scores. The model accounted for 68% of the variance (adjusted R 2). Screening indices were calculated by comparison with a combined depression and/or anxiety category. Threshold scores of 13/14 for males and 18/19 for females appeared optimal. General Health Questionnaire scores were compared with two criterion groups: adolescents in hospital with alcohol or drug (AOD) related problems and those with problems not related to AOD use. Only the former group had significantly higher total scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The GHQ-12 showed good structural characteristics and was appropriately correlated with other measures of related traits. Overall, the GHQ-12 appears to be a valid index of psychological wellbeing in this population and was considerably shorter than some of the other instruments.
Tait
Robert J
RJ
School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, QE II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia. rjtait@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
French
Davina J
DJ
Hulse
Gary K
GK
D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires