Mental Health of Iranian College Students in a Nationally Representative Sample of over 74,500 Individuals: Scale Development and Standardization

Saeed Akbari Zardkhaneh, Hamid Poursharifi, Mohsen Rajabi, Hamid Yaghoubi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (SciVal)

Abstract

This study sought to develop the College Mental Health Scale (CMHS) as a screening instrument among Iranian college students. In total, the nationally representative sample (N = 74,571) was selected to match the Iranian college student population throughout the country. In the first study, a conceptual framework was developed and a pool of items based on the most prevalent mental disorders in Iranian college students were devised. In the second study, psychometric properties of CMHS was examined (n = 600). The third study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase (n = 2,750), explanatory factor analysis was used for reaching a better factor structure and in the second phase (n = 2,750) the invariability of factor structure and correlation of CMHS with related measure was examined. The result revealed a 56-item measurement scale consisting of seven dimensions as the most prevalent mental disorders. In the fourth study (n = 68,471), male and female norms were developed. The CMHS has adequate reliability and validity and can be used for assessment of college students’ mental health problems in Iran.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)106-126
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of College Student Psychotherapy
Volume37
Issue number2
Early online date25 May 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2023

Funding

This work has been funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in Iran. We gratefully acknowledge the students who participated in this study. We would also principally like to thank the Ministry of Health in Iran for their support.

FundersFunder number
Ministry of Health in Iran
Ministry of Science Research and Technology

    Keywords

    • college student mental health
    • Iranian college students
    • Mental health problems
    • scale development
    • screening instrument
    • standardization

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Clinical Psychology
    • Psychiatry and Mental health

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