Objectives: To develop a Taiwanese Mental Health Inventory (TMHI) and to use this instrument to survey mental health indices (MHI) in Taiwan for the year 2002. Methods: A 21-item Taiwan mental health index scale was designed and administered by telephone interview to 1076 community residents throughout Taiwan whose telephone numbers were selected by a computer-assisted random digit method. The associated variables of mental health indices were examined using one way ANOVA and logistic regression analysis. Results: This study has established a 21-item TMHI. Each item was rated using a 5-point scale. The TMHI showed good validity and reliability. Factor analysis demonstrated this instrument covers 4-dimensions of mental health contents including: ”psychosomatic health”, ”personal value”, ”self-control of life”, and ”family function”. Each dimension was classified into 4 ranks of good (MHT≧4.0), acceptable (4.0>MHI≧3.5), fair (3.5>MHI≧3.0) and poor (3.0<MHI). The scores of ”global mental health index, self-control of life”, ”personal value, psychosomatic health”, and ”family function” were 3.7, 3.7, 3.2, 4.0, and 4.3 respectively. The suboptimal scores in the mental health indices of ”self-control of life” and ”personal value” suggested greater attention to these areas is needed. Both ”average income” and ”education level” were significantly associated with ”global mental health”. Conclusion: This study has established the TMHI and demonstrated that it has 4 dimensions. The assessment of mental health indices in the Taiwanese population is likely to have important implications in preventive psychiatry. Periodic monitoring of the general population using the TMHI may provide key background data for understanding the spectrum of mental health in the community.
Objectives: To develop a Taiwanese Mental Health Inventory (TMHI) and to use this instrument to survey mental health indices (MHI) in Taiwan for the year 2002. Methods: A 21-item Taiwan mental health index scale was designed and administered by telephone interview to 1076 community residents throughout Taiwan whose telephone numbers were selected by a computer-assisted random digit method. The associated variables of mental health indices were examined using one way ANOVA and logistic regression analysis. Results: This study has established a 21-item TMHI. Each item was rated using a 5-point scale. The TMHI showed good validity and reliability. Factor analysis demonstrated this instrument covers 4-dimensions of mental health contents including: ”psychosomatic health”, ”personal value”, ”self-control of life”, and ”family function”. Each dimension was classified into 4 ranks of good (MHT≧4.0), acceptable (4.0>MHI≧3.5), fair (3.5>MHI≧3.0) and poor (3.0<MHI). The scores of ”global mental health index, self-control of life”, ”personal value, psychosomatic health”, and ”family function” were 3.7, 3.7, 3.2, 4.0, and 4.3 respectively. The suboptimal scores in the mental health indices of ”self-control of life” and ”personal value” suggested greater attention to these areas is needed. Both ”average income” and ”education level” were significantly associated with ”global mental health”. Conclusion: This study has established the TMHI and demonstrated that it has 4 dimensions. The assessment of mental health indices in the Taiwanese population is likely to have important implications in preventive psychiatry. Periodic monitoring of the general population using the TMHI may provide key background data for understanding the spectrum of mental health in the community.