Construction and validation of a self-direction measure for mental health care

The aims were to describe and develop a measure of the concept of the active self as self-direction and to assess the extent to which clients in a mental healthcare setting were becoming self-directive instead of being directed by their therapist.

A panel of experts was formed to discuss the concept self-direction and to formulate a tentative model of self-direction. An initial questionnaire was constructed. A cross-section of clients completed the questionnaire to evaluate its validity and reliability with exploratory factor analysis.

A 31-item questionnaire was constructed that included six factors that measured actorship, commitment, demoralization, readiness, understanding, and monitoring progress and two broader underlying factors called gaining control and loss of control.

The developed questionnaire measures the degree to which people are experiencing self-direction in their lives, and their capability of solving their problems.