TY - JOUR
T1 - Validity and psychometric properties of the Self-Identification as Having a Mental Illness Scale (SELF-I) among currently untreated persons with mental health problems
AU - Schomerus, Georg
AU - Muehlan, Holger
AU - Auer, Charlotte
AU - Horsfield, Philip
AU - Tomczyk, Samuel
AU - Freitag, Simone
AU - Evans-Lacko, Sara
AU - Schmidt, Silke
AU - Stolzenburg, Susanne
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) [Grant-ID SCHO 1337/4 – 1 and SCHM 2683/4 – 1 ].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
Copyright:
Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/3
Y1 - 2019/3
N2 - Conceptualizing own symptoms as potential signs of a mental illness is an important, yet under-researched step towards appropriate help. Few validated measures address recognition and identification of own mental illness. Aim of this study is to investigate performance and correlates of the 'self-Identification as Having a Mental Illness’ scale (SELF-I) in a group of 229 currently untreated individuals with mental health problems, predominantly depression. Measures included: self-identification with having a mental illness (SELF-I), depressive and somatic symptom severity (PHQ-9 and PHQ-15), illness perceptions (B-IPQ-R-C), and sociodemographic variables. Principal-component analysis revealed in a unidimensional factor structure. The SELF-I showed good reliability in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, 0.85–0.87) and re-test reliability over three months (Intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.74). Associations with depressive symptoms, previous treatment experiences and self-labelling demonstrated construct and criterion validity. Low associations with somatic symptoms and with illness-perceptions as measured by the B-IPQ-R-C indicated discriminant validity. We did not observe any floor or ceiling effects. The SELF-I scale is a brief, unidimensional and reliable measure of self-identification as having a mental illness that offers useful research perspectives.
AB - Conceptualizing own symptoms as potential signs of a mental illness is an important, yet under-researched step towards appropriate help. Few validated measures address recognition and identification of own mental illness. Aim of this study is to investigate performance and correlates of the 'self-Identification as Having a Mental Illness’ scale (SELF-I) in a group of 229 currently untreated individuals with mental health problems, predominantly depression. Measures included: self-identification with having a mental illness (SELF-I), depressive and somatic symptom severity (PHQ-9 and PHQ-15), illness perceptions (B-IPQ-R-C), and sociodemographic variables. Principal-component analysis revealed in a unidimensional factor structure. The SELF-I showed good reliability in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, 0.85–0.87) and re-test reliability over three months (Intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.74). Associations with depressive symptoms, previous treatment experiences and self-labelling demonstrated construct and criterion validity. Low associations with somatic symptoms and with illness-perceptions as measured by the B-IPQ-R-C indicated discriminant validity. We did not observe any floor or ceiling effects. The SELF-I scale is a brief, unidimensional and reliable measure of self-identification as having a mental illness that offers useful research perspectives.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060232634&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.01.054
DO - 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.01.054
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 30677718
AN - SCOPUS:85060232634
SN - 0165-1781
VL - 273
SP - 303
EP - 308
JO - Psychiatry Research
JF - Psychiatry Research
ER -
