The Positive Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire - PosMHLit

Mariana Maia de Carvalho, Maria da Luz Vale-Dias, Corey Keyes, Sérgio A. Carvalho

Abstract


Background: Literature suggests that mental health literacy (MHL) promotes good mental health. However, existing measures of MHL do not capture mental well-being and its protective or promoting factors in its definition of good mental health, and almost exclusively focus on mental illness literacy. In this paper, we present the development and validation of the Positive Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire - PosMHLit.


Method: Scale development was built upon an extensive literature review. Generated items were validated by a panel of experts (focus-group and single analysis). Psychometric analyses were conducted in a community sample of adults (N=418). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Parallel Analysis (PA) were performed to examine the factor structure of the scale. Correlations between relevant variables (MHL, well-being and psychopathology) were conducted and Pearsons´ quoficients were examined to test construct validity.


Results: Two factors emerged from the EFA: Factor 1 - “Characteristics and promoters of positive mental health” (17 items), and Factor 2- “Vulnerability factors of positive mental health” (3 items). Both factors show good internal consistency (a1 = .92; a2 = .70, respectively) and construct validity. The use of a total score of the scale should not include the 3 items from Factor 2. 


Conclusion: The PosMHLit is a valid and reliable measure to evaluate literacy about positive mental health and well-being in the adult population, but future studies should further replicate these findings. Clinical implications include the provision of a valid measure of positive mental health, which will contribute to the efficacy testing of MHL interventions.

Keywords


Mental health literacy; Positive mental health; Well-being; Psychometric analysis.

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.13129/2282-1619/mjcp-3407

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