Health, well‐being, and psychopathology in a clinical population: Structure and discriminant validity of Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC‐SF)

Abstract

For patients with clinical levels of psychopathology, the level of well-being and psychopathology correlate much higher than in the general population. Well-being and psychopathology are so entwined that the supposed distinction should be seriously questioned.

Well‐being in Patients with Affective Disorders Compared to Nonclinical Participants: A Multi‐Model Evaluation of the Mental Health Continuum‐Short Form

“…Across samples, the distinctness of EWB lied amidst SWB and PWB as it had intermediate ECVs in bifactor models and EWB items loadings were halved by the introduction of the general factor. Interestingly, as previously noted, all three factors were weaker and even less distinct (i.e., with lower ECVs) in the clinical sample due to strong interactions among mood disturbance and individual and social functioning, in line with similar recent findings from two clinical samples (Franken et al, ; van Erp Taalman Kip & Hutschemaekers, ). Therefore, a general well‐being factor appears to be sufficient to capture individual variation in well‐being in patients with affective disorders.…”

“…However, not surprisingly, SWB had the lowest internal consistency and composite reliability of the three subscales across samples, in line with most nonclinical (e.g. Hides et al, ; Keyes et al, ; Petrillo et al, ; Rogoza et al, ) and recent clinical findings (Franken et al, ; van Erp Taalman Kip & Hutschemaekers, ) and probably due to the aforementioned heterogeneity of the SWB subscale.…”

“…Such an extension is warranted should clinicians use the MHC‐SF for monitoring mental well‐being in parallel to diagnosing mental illness (Schotanus‐Dijkstra et al, ). Hence, the present study complements the recently emerging literature on MHC‐SF validation in clinical settings (Franken et al, ; van Erp Taalman Kip & Hutschemaekers, ).…”

“…Finally, MHC‐SF three‐category diagnoses of positive mental health (i.e., flourishing, languishing, and moderate mental health) were significantly correlated to clinical groupings but the correlation was far from perfect (Cramér's V = 0.40), suggesting preliminary support to Keyes's dual continua model of mental health and mental illness in the total sample (Keyes, ; Keyes et al, ). However, this suggestion should be considered with caution since in this study we did not perform CFAs on well‐being and psychopathology measures to formally test the validity of Keyes's dual continua model, which was recently questioned in clinical contexts (van Erp Taalman Kip & Hutschemaekers, ).…”

How Art Therapists Observe Mental Health Using Formal Elements in Art Products: Structure and Variation as Indicators for Balance and Adaptability

“…Literature on this matter is divided. Some studies question the distinction between mental illness and mental health (adaptation) (Lukat et al, 2016; Van Erp Taalman Kip and Hutschemaekers, 2018). The seven formal elements that emerged in this study might enable art therapists to gain perspective on the strengths and resources as challenges of clients.…”