Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Teachers: A Multiple-Group International Study

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Division D Section 1 Poster Session 3

Abstract

The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is a screening tool for assessing psychological distress among subjects. The GHQ has been frequently defined as a unidimensional measure, but empirical studies have shown that two- and three-factor models can also be admitted. The present study tested the factor structure of the GHQ-12 in a large sample of primary and lower secondary teachers (N = 5869) from six countries (Italy, United States, the Netherlands, Russia, Palestine, Hong Kong). Standard procedures of confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance test were applied. The results supported the three-partite factor structure of the GHQ-12 among teachers, whereas only weak invariance was supported. The results were discussed in terms of recommendations for assessing teachers’ psychological distress in educational contexts.

Authors

• Alessandro Pepe, University of Milano - Bicocca

• Loredana Addimando, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland - SUPSI

• Guido Veronese