General Health Questionnaire

General Health Questionnaire

The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is a psychological screening tool designed to detect psychiatric disorders in community settings and non-psychiatric clinical settings. It is widely used in research and clinical practice to assess the mental health of individuals.

Development

The GHQ was developed by David Goldberg in the 1970s. It was created to provide a simple and efficient method for identifying individuals who are likely to have or to be at risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The questionnaire is designed to be self-administered and is available in several versions, including the GHQ-12, GHQ-28, GHQ-30, and GHQ-60, with the number indicating the number of items in each version.

Structure

The GHQ consists of a series of questions that assess the respondent's current state of mental health. The questions focus on two major areas: the inability to carry out normal functions and the appearance of new and distressing phenomena. Respondents are asked to rate their recent experiences on a four-point scale, which typically ranges from "not at all" to "much more than usual."

Scoring

The scoring of the GHQ can vary depending on the version used. A common method is the "GHQ scoring" method, where each item is scored as 0-0-1-1, with the first two responses scoring 0 and the last two scoring 1. Another method is the "Likert scoring" method, which scores each item from 0 to 3. The total score is then used to determine the likelihood of a psychiatric disorder, with higher scores indicating greater distress.

Applications

The GHQ is used in a variety of settings, including primary care, occupational health, and epidemiological studies. It is particularly useful for screening large populations to identify individuals who may benefit from further psychological evaluation or intervention. The GHQ has been translated into numerous languages and is used internationally.

Limitations

While the GHQ is a valuable tool for screening mental health issues, it is not a diagnostic instrument. It is designed to identify potential cases of psychiatric disorders, but a high score on the GHQ should be followed by a more comprehensive assessment by a mental health professional. Additionally, cultural differences can affect the interpretation of GHQ scores, and care should be taken when using the questionnaire in diverse populations.

See also

• Psychological screening
• Mental health assessment
• David Goldberg