Evaluating the GHQ-12: A Study on Its Reliability
Author Information
Author(s): Hankins Matthew
Primary Institution: King's College London, Department of Psychology
Hypothesis
Is the GHQ-12 a reliable screening tool for psychiatric morbidity under realistic assumptions?
Conclusion
The GHQ-12 has substantial measurement error due to response bias, limiting its effectiveness as a psychiatric screening tool.
Supporting Evidence
- The GHQ-12 was found to measure a single dimension with response bias.
- Conventional reliability estimates overestimated the true reliability of the GHQ-12.
- Different scoring methods affected the sensitivity and discrimination of the GHQ-12.
Takeaway
The GHQ-12 questionnaire, used to check mental health, might not work well because people can misunderstand some of its questions.
Methodology
Data from the Health Survey for England 2004 was analyzed using structural equation modeling to assess the fit of different models of the GHQ-12.
Potential Biases
Response bias on negatively phrased items may lead to misclassification of psychiatric morbidity.
Limitations
The study's findings may not generalize beyond the specific population sampled, and further research is needed to identify the causes of response bias.
Participant Demographics
Adults from the Health Survey for England 2004 cohort.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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