title: Correlates of a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question in people with schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to explore the correlates of a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question in people with schizophrenia, in order to achieve a better understanding of what it is measuring.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted exploring the responses of 71 adults with schizophrenia to a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question and the relationship with psychological distress, illness perception, and self-rated general health. Measures included the 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the single-item Self-Rated Health Question.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People with schizophrenia who reported poorer levels of mental health on a single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question were more likely to have: higher levels of psychological distress; depressive and anxiety symptoms; and negative illness perceptions, especially a lack of perceived personal control over their illness. There was a moderate positive correlation between self-rated mental health and self-rated general health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The single-item Self-Rated Mental Health Question is a predictor of important clinical features in people with schizophrenia. As such, there are implications for health services, with a possible role as a brief, easily administered screening tool for the detection of clinical vulnerability.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Australian National University Medical School, Woden, ACT, Australia Paul.Maguire@act.gov.au.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.affiliation: Senior Research Officer and Lecturer, Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Australian National University Medical School, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Reay
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Australian National University Medical School, Woden, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raphael
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: illness perception; psychological distress; schizophrenia; self-rated mental health