title: Chronicity of psychological strain in occupational settings and the accuracy of the General Health Questionnaire.
abstract: This article examines the proposition that the traditional scoring method of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) underestimates the number of respondents classified as "cases." A revised "chronic" scoring method (the CGHQ) is used and demonstrates superior construct validity and greater sensitivity. A comparison of the CGHQ and GHQ also shows the CGHQ to be a superior criterion measure. These claims are demonstrated by survey data gathered from 3 occupational samples (Ns=11,637, 2,253, and 2,124). Results show that the CGHQ is more appropriate as a screening instrument for psychological morbidity. Tests of construct validity also favor the CGHQ with only a slight advantage for predictive validity in terms of variance explained. The more desirable statistical properties of the CGHQ result in a reduction of significant interaction terms and are strongly recommended in future studies as a means of controlling Type I errors when tests of moderation are examined.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Caron J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Whaley
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Roy L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fritschi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Work Psychology.
authors.forename: Toby D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Wall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D009790:Occupations; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*