Factor structure of mental health measures

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Personality Psychology
• Positive Psychology

Background:

• Understanding the structure of psychological constructs is crucial for accurate measurement.
• Personal growth and subjective well-being are key areas in positive psychology research.
• Previous research has explored the relationship between these constructs with varying results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factor structure of scales measuring personal growth, subjective well-being, stress-resistant personality, and self-deceptive positivity.
• To examine the relationship between subjective well-being and personal growth.
• To identify demographic correlates of these psychological constructs.

Main Methods:

• Principal-components analysis with oblique rotation was employed.
• Data were collected from a sample of 338 university students and community residents.
• 18 scales measuring various psychological constructs and demographics were utilized.

Main Results:

• A large factor emerged for subjective well-being measures.
• Smaller factors were identified for personal growth, gender and age, and personality integration and education.
• Results supported the hypothesis that subjective well-being and personal growth are related but not identical constructs.

Conclusions:

• Subjective well-being and personal growth represent distinct, though related, psychological constructs.
• The findings contribute to a better understanding of the factor structure of positive psychology measures.
• Further research is needed to explore the implications of these findings in diverse populations.