Psychometric analysis of General Health Questionnaire GHQ-12 with Chilean inmates

• In Event: Global and Comparative Perspectives on Corrections

Abstract

Our main goal was to analyze the psychometric properties of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire with 1,022 Chilean inmates. We conducted a descriptive-cross-sectional study and evaluated the internal structure of the GHQ-12 with both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, also analyzing its invariance.
An overall KMO value of 0.83 showed good sampling adequacy, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant. We also conducted analyses on both 2- and 3- factor solutions, using polychoric correlation matrix, weighted least squares, oblimin rotation. The two-factor solution explained 55% of variance. There were no items showing cross-loading above 0.3. And the 3-factor solution explained 63% of the variance. Factor correlation coefficients were 0.12 (factors 1/2), 0.41 (factors 1/3), and 0.30 (factors 2/3).
We also determined the modified three-factor solution as the best solution. The reliability of the modified 3-factor solution showed acceptable alphas and omegas for all subscales (f1:α =0.82, ω =0.82; f2:α = 0.81, ω =0.81; f3: α= 0.73, ω =0.74). Results for measurement invariance for the modified three-factor model show an acceptable fit
Based on our results, we think that testing the suitability of GHQ-12 might be a positive contribution to a more humane, effective reintegration for various prison systems.

Authors

• Guillermo Sanhueza, Loyola University Chicago

• Liza Zúñiga, University of Chile

• Jessica Candia, Independent Researcher