[A report on experiences using Goldberg's GHQ (General Health Questionnaire)]

The General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg and Hiller, 1978, 1979) is a screening instrument for clinical and preclinical assessment of psychosomatic disorders and proneness to such disturbance. It has been translated into German by F. Gutzwiller for a national health survey (SNF 8/SOMIPOPS) and has been used thereafter in several studies in combination with other psychometric instruments. This current paper presents a set of test-related theoretical and statistical parameters of the GHQ (28-item version). The specificity of the proposed scales (somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, severe depression) is relatively low in the German version. Nevertheless may the questionnaire be recommended for nonclinical and nonpsychiatric in-patient use, as it picks up aspects of depression and suicidal behavior, of a general disturbance feeling, and of mental and psychophysical stress and exhaustion. Further evaluation is recommended.