Mental Health Continuum-Short Form Research Articles

Racial Discrimination in Late Adolescence and Mental Health Outcomes Among Participants in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics

PurposeTo assess whether racial discrimination experienced at ages 18–21 years is associated with psychological distress and well-being, and investigate potential moderators of this relationship. MethodsWe used panel data collected from 2005 to 2017 from 661 participants in the Transition into Adulthood Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The Everyday Discrimination Scale measured racial discrimination. The Kessler six and Mental Health Continuum Short Form assessed psychological distress and well-being, respectively. Generalized linear mixed modeling was used to model outcomes and test potential moderating variables. ResultsApproximately 25% of participants experienced high levels of racial discrimination. In analyses of panel data, these participants had significantly worse psychological distress (odds ratio = 6.04, 95% confidence interval: 3.41, 8.67) and lower levels of emotional well-being (odds ratio = 4.61, 95% confidence interval: 1.87, 7.36) compared to those who did not. Race and ethnicity moderated the relationship. DiscussionExposure to racial discrimination in late adolescence was associated with worse mental health outcomes. This study has important implications for interventions addressing the need for mental health support that is critical for adolescents who experience racial discrimination.

Level of Personality Functioning Scale-Brief Form 2.0: Validity and reliability of the Polish adaptation.

This study examined psychometric properties of the Polish adaptation of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale-Brief Form 2.0 (LPFS-BF 2.0) measuring features corresponding to self - and interpersonal impairment of personality functioning as defined in the diagnostic guidelines for Personality Disorder in the DSM-5 Section III. The study involved a non-clinical sample of N = 242 adults (52.9% female; Mage = 30.63 years, SDage = 11.81 years). To evaluate the criterion validity, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5), Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD), Agency-Communion-Inventory (AC-IN), and Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) were administered. The LPFS-BF 2.0 yielded two reliable latent components that correspond to an interpretation of self - and interpersonal functioning and showed relevant associations with a personality disorder severity index, maladaptive personality traits, well-being, and personality constructs of agency and communion. The LPFS-BF 2.0 also demonstrated incremental validity over and above all the PID-5 pathological traits with respect to global well-being as an outcome. The Polish adaptation of the LPFS-BF 2.0 is a psychometrically and conceptually sound measure to assess features corresponding to self and interpersonal impairment of personality functioning as defined in the DSM-5 Section III. However, findings warrant replication in clinical populations.

A comparison of factor structure models for the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) among preschool teachers in South Korea

A comparison of factor structure models for the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) among preschool teachers in South Korea

Psychotherapy for Chronic In- and Outpatients with Common Mental Disorders: The “Choose Change” Effectiveness Trial

Introduction: Treatment non-response occurs regularly, but psychotherapy is seldom examined for such patients. Existing studies targeted single diagnoses, were relatively small, and paid little attention to treatment under real-world conditions. Objective: The Choose Change trial tested whether psychotherapy was effective in treating chronic patients with treatment non-response in a transdiagnostic sample of common mental disorders across two variants of treatment delivery (inpatient and outpatient). Methods: The controlled nonrandomized effectiveness trial was conducted between May 2016 and May 2021. The study took place in two psychiatric clinics with N = 200 patients (n = 108 inpatients and n = 92 outpatients). Treatment variants were integrated inpatient care versus outpatient care based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for approximately 12 weeks. Therapists delivered individualized and non-manualized ACT. Main outcome measures were symptoms (Brief Symptom Checklist [BSCL]); well-being (Mental Health Continuum-Short Form [MHC-SF]), and functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule [WHO-DAS]). Results: Both inpatients and outpatients showed decreases in symptomatology (i.e., BSCL: d = 0.68) and increases in well-being and functioning (MHC-SF: d = 0.60 and WHO-DAS: d = 0.70), with more improvement in the inpatients during treatment. Both groups maintained gains 1 year following treatment, and the groups did not significantly differ from each other at this timepoint. Psychological flexibility moderated impact of stress on outcomes. Conclusions: Psychotherapy as practiced under routine conditions is effective for a sample of patients with common mental disorders, a long history of treatment experience and burden of disease, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Trial registration: This study was registered in the ISRCTN registry on May 20, 2016, with the registration number ISRCTN11209732.

MP25-10 IMPLEMENTING A NOVEL STRESS RESILIENCE TRAINING CURRICULUM AMONG UROLOGY TRAINEES: PROOF OF CONCEPT IN CURRICULUM DESIGN

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP25-10 IMPLEMENTING A NOVEL STRESS RESILIENCE TRAINING CURRICULUM AMONG UROLOGY TRAINEES: PROOF OF CONCEPT IN CURRICULUM DESIGN Angeline Johny, David Wittkower, William Whitworth, Carter Lebares, and Jennifer Taylor Angeline JohnyAngeline Johny More articles by this author , David WittkowerDavid Wittkower More articles by this author , William WhitworthWilliam Whitworth More articles by this author , Carter LebaresCarter Lebares More articles by this author , and Jennifer TaylorJennifer Taylor More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003253.10AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Burnout is a pervasive issue in healthcare, with urology trainees reporting burnout rates as high as 63.8%. Resilience training is a proven tool to prevent burnout and improve performance in high stress working environments, with demonstrated efficacy in surgical residency programs. Enhanced Stress Resilience Training (ESRT) is a mindfulness-based cognitive skills training developed and validated by Dr. Carter Lebares and the UCSF Center for Mindfulness in Surgery. ESRT offers tools to reframe thoughts and promote emotional regulation. The primary goal of this study is to assess feasibility and to introduce a curriculum to expand a pre-existing program focused on wellness and individual skill development. METHODS: Through consultation with Dr. Lebares, we customized course structure to include a didactics presentation and five ESRT sessions taught over Zoom by a certified ESRT instructor, a retired surgeon. We conducted the sessions in place of standard departmental conferences to mitigate personal time used for the training. Baseline descriptive pre and post course data was collected using validated surveys, including the Mental Health Continuum Short Form, Physician Wellbeing Index, and the Connor Davidson Resilience Index, with a subsequent focus group to gain qualitative data on overall course perception. Using two-sample t-tests, we compared differences between and pre and post course responses. RESULTS: There were 33 participants in the course, with 20 residents, 7 faculty, and 6 others (student/APP). Surveys were completed by 30 participants pre course and 15 participants post course, with 15 sets of paired data. There were no statistically significant differences in self-reported wellbeing or stress response after course participation; however, participants were significantly more likely to use meditation as a stress coping mechanism after the course (p=0.008). Qualitative descriptive results demonstrated a 15% increase in participants’ understanding of the impact mindfulness practices have on work performance. CONCLUSIONS: Our program successfully implemented ESRT via a novel remote delivery format. Although our analysis was limited by small sample size, our pilot study highlights feasibility in implementation. This curriculum also showed resident skill development in stress regulation through mindfulness practices. Next steps would include repeat delivery within the program to promote durability, and possible expansion beyond our single program. Source of Funding: Norton Rose Fulbright Educational Grant © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e346 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Angeline Johny More articles by this author David Wittkower More articles by this author William Whitworth More articles by this author Carter Lebares More articles by this author Jennifer Taylor More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

A growing concern for meaning: Exploring the links between ego development and eudaimonia.

Eudaimonia, in contrast to hedonia, is theorized to be a more complex type of positive functioning that involves personal growth and is guided by the pursuit of meaning. However, the existing evidence linking eudaimonia to personality development is rather scarce. To fill this gap, we aimed to explore whether ego development is related to eudaimonic well-being and eudaimonic orientations, most notably, the concern for meaning: we explored both the quantitative differences in the presence of meaning and the search for it, as well as qualitative differences in lay theories of meaning. Russian-speaking volunteers recruited online (N = 364, aged 18 to 85, 63% female) completed measures of ego development (Washington University Sentence Completion Test), meaning in life (Meaning in Life Questionnaire), lay theories of meaning (and original 20-item measure), hedonic and eudaimonic motives for activities (HEMA), and well-being (Mental Health Continuum-Short Form). Ego development emerged as a weak, but significant positive predictor of well-being and this effect was fully mediated by the presence of meaning and eudaimonic motives. Latent profile analysis of the items tapping into lay theories of meaning revealed four distinct individual approaches to meaning that mainly differed in the subjective importance and salience of meaning. Participants with stronger concern for meaning revealed higher scores on ego development, both presence and search for meaning, eudaimonic motives, and well-being. The results add to the evidence concerning the links between ego development and well-being and are in line with the theoretical view of eudaimonia as a process of growth guided by personal concern for meaning. The findings suggest that eudaimonia might be more easily attained by individuals at higher stages of personal development.

Collegiate Outdoor Orientation Programming as a High-Impact Practice

Outdoor orientation programs (OOPs) use wilderness or adventure experiences as a transition of incoming first-year students to college and university settings. We explored resilience and flourishing outcomes from two OOP trips in Virginia and North Carolina using the Brief Resilience Scale, the Mental Health Continuum Short Form, and a thematic analysis of participant responses to open-ended survey items. Results illustrate a statistically significant, large effect size difference in flourishing between pre- and post-trip responses (d = .89), and the thematic analysis of open-ended post-trip questionnaire items illustrated the attainment of each of the program's OOP objectives. These results mirror previous findings evidencing the continued importance of this form of experiential learning to engender student success in higher education settings and further justify OOPs' inclusion within a high-impact practices framework.

Adolescents’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Do loneliness, family, and online friends matter?

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every element of adolescent life worldwide, including Indonesia. This study intended to examine how adolescents' loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic are affected by their family relationships and online friendships. This study collects data using an online questionnaire. The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3, the Brief Family Relationship Scale, and the Online Friendship Scale were used to collect the data. Two hundred ninety-two students aged 12-18 participated in data gathering in Jakarta, Indonesia, between March and April 2021. Descriptive, correlation and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0 and LISREL 8.80. This research revealed that family relationships and online friendships had a negative effect on loneliness. Family relationships favorably impact adolescent mental health, but loneliness negatively impacts it. Furthermore, family relationships and online friendships indirectly affect adolescents' mental health through loneliness. These findings may implement in developing interventions to assist adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

Psychometric properties of the mental health continuum-short form in Iranian adolescents.

Psychological tests are necessary to assess the mental state of individuals. Mental health is one of the important psychological indicators and is increasingly considered as having various aspects of well-being. The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) is a 14-item instrument that assesses mental health, focusing on emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The present study, the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the MHC-SF were examined in relation to its factor structure, internal consistency, construct validity, and gender measurement invariance among adolescents. The population of this study was Iranian adolescents between 11-and 18-year-old who were enrolled in the seventh to twelfth grades. A convenience sample of 822 Adolescents from four large cities in the Iran (Tehran, Zanjan, Hamedan and Ghazvin) participated in the present study. Questionnaires were completed online. Statistical analyses to evaluate the factor structure, internal consistency, construct validity, gender and age factorial invariance were performed in SPSS and LISREL. According to the results of confirmatory factor analysis, the MHC-SF is composed of three factors: emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha method and composite reliability (>0.7). Measurement invariance were confirmed among girls and boys. Convergent and divergent validity were also evaluated and confirmed by correlating the test score with similar and different tests. This study confirmed the psychometric properties of MHC-SF in the Iranian adolescent community. This instrument can be used in psychological research and diagnostic evaluations.

Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of the Mental Health Continuum Short-Form

The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) is a tool designed to evaluate an individual's overall mental health and well-being, encompassing emotional, psychological, and social dimensions. Adopted in several countries, including Portugal, South Korea, Italy, and France, the present study aims to adapt the MHC-SF for the Indonesian context and assess its psychometric properties. The adaptation followed the ITC Guidelines for Adapting Tests, an international standard for adapting and psychometrically testing measuring instruments. The content validity was evaluated through the involvement of three experts and four reviewers in assessing the results of the Indonesian translation. Data was collected from a sample of 256 students, who participated by filling out an online questionnaire. The results of the content validity indicated that the 14-item instrument was relevant to the purpose of measuring well-being. Construct validity showed a three-factor structure (emotional well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being) with a fit model, and all items had a factor loading value greater than .5, indicating their validity. The reliability test revealed consistent results with alpha coefficient values in the range of .7 to .8 for the three dimensions, demonstrating that the instrument can provide consistent results when used on the same individual in different situations. This study concludes that the Indonesian version of the MHC-SF is valid and reliable for assessing an individual's well-being.

Psychometric properties of Persian version of child and youth resilience measure‐revised in adolescents

AbstractPurposeThis study explores the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Child and Youth Resilience Measure–Revised (CYRM‐R) in adolescent population.MethodA sample of 323 Iranian adolescents (12–18 years old) completed the CYRM‐R, Resilient Scale (RS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI‐II), and Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC‐SF). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the goodness of fit. Face, content, concurrent validity, and internal consistency were evaluated.ResultsThe results showed acceptable face and content validity. Goodness‐of‐fit was adequate and internal consistency (Cronbach's α exceeded .883) was strong. The CYRM‐R score correlated positively to the RS and MHC‐SF total score and negatively to the total score of BDI‐II, supporting the scale's concurrent validity. In addition, Factor analysis confirmed the two‐factor structure of this measure.ConclusionThe Persian version of the CYRM‐R presents adequate psychometric properties. It is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to assess resilience in adolescents.

Well-Being of Israeli Nurse Practitioners During Times of Crisis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

For healthcare workers, good work-related well-being positively affects enthusiasm, efficiency, and job satisfaction. Conversely, poor well-being is associated with burnout and negative patient outcomes. During times of crises, it is difficult to balance professional responsibilities with well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the degree of well-being among nurse practitioners in Israel who worked in COVID-19 units or allied units during the delta wave. This was a web-based, cross-sectional study. Nurse practitioners who worked within the COVID-19 units in Israeli hospitals were asked to complete several questionnaires: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression. Forty-nine nurse practitioners participated in the survey. Scores from the Subjective Happiness Scale and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form indicate that most nurses have relatively positive mental health. Conversely, scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies indicated that participants are at risk for clinical depression. There was a positive moderate association between the number of years worked as a nurse practitioner and depression and a moderate negative association between the number of years worked as a nurse practitioner and happiness. Understanding how nurses' mental health is impacted during crises can provide healthcare systems with tools to prevent negative outcomes. This, in turn, may contribute to a lower burnout rate, higher satisfaction from work, and better patient outcomes.

The effectiveness of mindful hypnotherapy on difficulties in emotion regulation, mindfulness, and mental health in patients with major depressive disorder.

More than 300 million people are affected by major depressive disorder, and despite advances in treatments over the past 50 years, this number is increasing worldwide. Due to the high prevalence and increasing numbers, along with problems in various aspects of the patient's life, new effective treatments are essential in this field. This study was a single-blinded randomized clinical trial. Thirty-four patients with major depressive disorder who were referred by clinical psychologists in the clinical psychology clinic of the Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran, were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly assigned to the intervention and wait-list control groups. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the Mental Health Continuum Short Form were administered during the baseline and post treatment. Analyses of covariance and the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure were performed to determine the difference between study groups. The results of the analysis of covariance and repeated measures ANOVA showed a clinically significant decrease in difficulties in emotion regulation and a significant increase in mindfulness and mental health in the intervention group (P < 0.001). The mean score (standard deviation) of the difficulties in emotion regulation scores was 123.75 (21.10) in the experimental group at baseline and significantly decreased to 76.19 (26.45) and 68.00 (22.83) after the intervention and two-month follow-up, respectively (P < 0.001). Additionally, the mean scores (standard deviation) for mindfulness and mental health were 93.06 (8.23) and 19.63 (7.92), respectively, at baseline and significantly increased to 149.43 (16.99) and 51.62 (9.78), respectively, after the intervention and to 144.18 (20.55) and 48.50 (13.52) after a two-month follow-up (P < 0.001). The results show that mindful hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for improving difficulties in emotion regulation, mindfulness, and mental health in patients with major depressive disorder.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental-Emotional Wellbeing of Primary Healthcare Professionals: A Descriptive Correlational Study

The present study aimed to examine work environment related factors and frontline primary healthcare professionals’ mental-emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in school communities of Hong Kong. A total of 61 (20%) school health nurses (frontline primary healthcare professionals) participated in a cross-sectional online survey from March to June 2020. Outcomes of mental-emotional health were measured using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (14-item scale with three subscales related to emotional, social and psychological wellbeing); the Perceived Stress Scale (10-item scale with two subscales related to perceived helplessness and lack of self-efficacy; and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief COPE), a 28-item inventory with two subscales related to adaptive and maladaptive strategies. Almost half (42.6%) of participants experienced mental health problems. Those employed in government subsidized schools had signifi- cantly lower scores in mental health wellbeing than those who worked in private schools. Factors relating to increased mental health problems included lack of emotional support, inadequate training relating to infection prevention and control measures, disengagement and self-blame. A variety of factors influencing school health nurses’social, emotional and psychological wellbeing in their work environment during the COVID-19 pandemic were also reported. The mental-emotional wellbeing of school nurses may relate to their subjective feeling of loneliness as participants were the sole frontline primary healthcare professional working in the school community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study findings provide relevant evidence for management teams to build a culture of psychological and social support into workplace policies and procedures. Continuous staff development and adequate social support are important to promote the mental-emotional wellbeing of primary healthcare professionals in school communities as they play a significant role in safeguarding resources during pandemics.

Frequency, intensity and duration of muscle strengthening activity and associations with mental health

ObjectivesDespite growing emphasis on the benefits of physical activity for promoting mental health, inclusion of muscle-strengthening (MS) (e.g., body-weight exercises, resistance machines) activities is limited. Notably, few studies collectively assess MS behavioural frequency, duration, and intensity. To address the gap, the current study examined associations between frequency (days), intensity (rating of perceived exertion in relation to repetitions in reserve [RPE/RIR]), and duration (minutes per typical session) of MS activities on anxiety, depression, and mental well-being. MethodA cross-sectional study of 601 participants (Mean age = 30.92 years [SD = 12.70]; 57.7 % female) across Ireland was conducted. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire containing MS instruments previously used, or adapted from valid and reliable measures (i.e., International Physical Activity Questionnaire IPAQ, RPE/RIR), alongside, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) and the Mental Health Continuum- Short Form (MHC-SF). A multivariate regression model was tested in MPLUS, using dummy coding for MS frequency in relation to no activity (i.e., 0-days) non-adherence (i.e., 1-day), adherence (i.e., 2-days) and enhanced adherence (i.e., ≥3 days) to the MS public health guidelines, with the mental health variables representing the dependent variables. Intensity and duration were specified in the model as continuous variables; gender and age were included as statistical controls. ResultsThree or more days engaged in MS activities was associated with fewer anxiety (β = −0.12, p < .05) and depression (β = −0.14, p < .01) symptoms. Increased intensity had a negative association with anxiety (β = −0.10, p < .05) and depression (β = −0.15, p < .001). Unexpectedly, adherence to the MS guidelines (2-days) did not predict any of the mental health outcomes, whereas 1-day of MS activity was associated with fewer depression symptoms (β = −0.11). No effects were observed for mental well-being, and MS duration exerted a null effect across all mental health outcomes. ConclusionHigher frequency and intensity of MS activities may protect against anxiety and depression symptoms. Doing some MS activities (at least 1-day) is likely more beneficial than none for depression. Evidence-based, MS interventions may help curb mental illness rates, and future longitudinal, intervention-based research could consider inclusion of MS frequency, intensity and duration variables to enhance efforts to identify at-risk groups and trends within physical activity and mental illness surveillance.

Different Effects of Social Jetlag and Weekend Catch-Up Sleep on Well-Being of Adolescents According to the Actual Sleep Duration.

The aim of this study was to explore the potentially different associations between two common aspects of adolescents’ life, namely social jetlag and weekend catch-up sleep, with well-being and physical health, according to the actual sleep duration, i.e., <7 h and ≥7 h. To this end, 504 participants (42.1% males), with a mean age of 16.17 (standard deviation = 1.39), were examined in the this cross-sectional study. Participants were asked to wear the Micro Motionlogger Watch actigraph (Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc., Ardlsey, NY, USA) around their non-dominant wrist for seven consecutive days in order to objectively assess social jetlag and weekend catch-up sleep. Participants were also asked to fill in the Mental Health Continuum—Short Form for the assessment of subjective, social, and psychological well-being, as well as the SF-36 Health Survey for the perception of physical health. In adolescents sleeping less than 7 h, those experiencing weekend catch-up sleep longer than 120 min reported significantly lower subjective well-being compared to those with a weekend catch-up sleep duration between 0 and 59 min. These data pointed out the detrimental effect of long weekend catch-up sleep on self-reported well-being only in adolescents getting less than the recommended amount of sleep.

Psychometric Properties of the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF): A Study With Individuals With Schizophrenia Living in the Community.

The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) is widely used to measure positive mental health. This study is the first to examine the psychometric properties of the MHC-SF in persons with schizophrenia living in the community. Two hundred thirty-one individuals with schizophrenia living in the community in South Korea filled out the MHC-SF. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), bifactor CFA, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), and bifactor ESEM were undertaken to examine the factor structure of the MHC-SF. Results showed that a three-factor bifactor ESEM model yielded better fit than the other alternative models. Indices of internal consistency reliability were acceptable. The results suggest that bifactor ESEM is an appropriate analysis for examining the factor structure of the MHC-SF in individuals with schizophrenia. The findings support the use of the overall MHC-SF scale rather than the use of the subscales in people with schizophrenia.

A Positive-Psychology-based Multiple Regression model predicting Wellbeing in Chilean Youth

Positive Youth Development (PYD) addresses young people from their potential, strengths, and assets, in contrast to the deficit view that focuses on their weaknesses. The PYD model promotes constructive behaviours in youth by underscoring positive attributes usually found during the transition from childhood to adulthood in order to foster healthy development. In a nutshell, PYD comprises five key competence (5C), forty developmental assets, and the flourishing model. In the present study, 261 participants were approached by an online survey (nWomen= 189, nMen = 72, MeanAge= 22 years old), as part of the Cross-national project on PYD (CN-PYD), which included several measures, among which those included in the research were: The Developmental assets Scale, the Short-form of the Five Cs, and the Mental Health Continuum Short-Form (MHC-SF). Emotional, Social, Psychological and General Wellbeing scores were tested on the premise that females would score significantly lower than male participants (H1). In addition, two multiple regression models were tested with the first wave of the Chilean PYD project on the premise that Positive Identity, Confidence, Character, and Connection would predict the variance of General Wellbeing (H2), and Psychological Wellbeing (H3). The findings provided total support for H1 and H2, and partial support for H3. Overall, the research complements previous investigations conducted with Latin American and Chilean Youth, stressing the importance of researching Latin-American adolescents’ developmental assets, PYD competence, and the varieties of subjective wellbeing.

Development and Assessment of the Personal Emotional Capital Questionnaire for Adolescents

Higher emotional capital is associated with enhanced positive emotions, social relationships, social capital and human capital. The present study developed and evaluated a personal emotional capital questionnaire for adolescents (PECQ-A) that assessed 10 components of this capital. The PECQ-A was administrated to two samples of Iranian 15-year-olds from two Iranian cities (N1 = 600, N2 = 300, total N = 900) recruited using multistage random cluster sampling. A confirmatory factor analysis of the first sample confirmed the ten-factor structure of the PECQ-A. The reliability of PECQ-A was acceptable (Cronbach's α = .90, McDonald's ω = .88, AVE = .57, Composite reliability CR = .89). Analyses of the second sample revealed that the PECQ-A and its components exhibited convergent validity when compared to the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF), the students' GPAs, and the students' mathematics and natural sciences scores. The PECQ-A demonstrated divergent validity when contrasted with the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS21). Test-retest reliability was acceptable. Invariance measurement was confirmed for the PECQ-A. A MANOVA identified several gender differences. PECQ-A scores were not sensitive to the order that the questionnaires were administered. The results suggest that the PECQ-A is a valid and reliable measure of personal emotional capital suitable for use with adolescents.

Measurement invariance of the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form across US military veteran and civilian adults.

Recent research has suggested that mental health is not only the absence of mental illness but includes aspects of well-being. One common psychological assessment used to assess dimensions of well-being is the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF). The MHC-SF is a 14-item measure that assesses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The purpose of this study was to assess measurement invariance of the MHC-SF across US military veterans and civilians. First, we examined the factor structure of the MHC-SF separately for veterans (n = 418) and civilians (n = 411). We then conducted multiple group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) to assess measurement invariance for the two groups. Findings suggested there were three latent factors representing emotional, social, and psychological well-being. Results from MG-CFA suggested that the MHC-SF is invariant across veterans and civilians. Researchers and practitioners can administer the MHC-SF with both groups.