The mental health self-direction scale: An abridged version and its sensitivity to change
Publication year
2024Number of pages
16 p.
Source
Journal of Clinical Psychology, 80, 7, (2024), pp. 1618-1633ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor
Display more detailsDisplay less details
Organization
SW OZ BSI KLP
Journal title
Journal of Clinical Psychology
Volume
vol. 80
Issue
iss. 7
Languages used
English (eng)
Page start
p. 1618
Page end
p. 1633
Subject
Experimental Psychopathology and TreatmentAbstract
Objective: The Mental Health Self-Direction Scale (MHSD) measures the extent to which clients are able to resolve mental problems by themselves. Because this scale had not yet been evaluated, the aims of this paper were (a) to evaluate and improve the MHSD and (b) to explore the sensitivity to change of the improved scale. Method: The MHSD was evaluated and improved by means of confirmatory factor analyses of data from one longitudinal and two cross-sectional outpatient sample. Inconsistent items were removed in a stepwise fashion. Subsequently, the scale's sensitivity to change was explored in the longitudinal sample by using latent growth curve models. Results: The original 31-item scale was reduced to a more stable version with 19 items that yielded four factors named: actorship, demoralization, commitment, and understanding. Throughout clients' treatment, actorship and understanding tended to increase; demoralization tended to decrease; and commitment remained consistently high. Conclusions: The abridged MHSD scale is stable and sensitive to change. It measures the extent to which clients experience and develop self-direction throughout their treatment. With the use of the new MHSD scale, new views on mental health that emphasize clients' ability to actively engage and cope with health-challenges can be incorporated into clinical treatment.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [245263]
- Electronic publications [132514]
- Faculty of Social Sciences [30345]
- Open Access publications [106142]
Upload full text
Use your RU credentials (u/z-number and password) to log in with SURFconext to upload a file for processing by the repository team.