title: The GHQ-12 for the assessment of psychological distress of family caregivers.
abstract: This study examined the utility of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) to assess the psychological distress of family caregivers. To accomplish this goal, a sample of 172 caregivers, 25 men and 147 women, aged 56.6 (SD = 13.7) completed self-report questionnaires and provided data on demographic factors. Univariate and bivariate models adjust adequately, although the two-factor model (anxiety/depression and social dysfunction) presented a better fit. Relative caregivers scored higher in psychological distress (anxiety and depression levels) on the GHQ-12 than did the normal population. In conclusion, the GHQ-12 is a sensitive instrument to detect the presence of anxiety and depression in relative caregivers, and the external validity of the instrument is generally adequate. The GHQ-12 seems particularly appropriate for research and clinical and health intervention in caregivers. Implications and limitations of these results are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.
authors.affiliation: a Hospital Universitario de Getafe and Red Hygeia Health & Gender International Alliance.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cuéllar-Flores
authors.forename: M Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sánchez-López
authors.forename: Rosa María
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Limiñana-Gras
authors.forename: Lucía
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colodro-Conde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: GHQ-12; assessment; caregivers; confirmatory factor analysis; psychological distress