A new complex mental health test in a positive psychological framework

Symptom network differences in school adjustment and anxiety-depression-stress in adolescents: a gender-based perspective

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics of adolescents' school adjustment and their associations with anxiety, depression, and stress, respectively, as well as their differences by gender.

METHODS

A convenience sampling method was used to measure 3,922 secondary school students from 10 secondary schools in five locations in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region using the Anxiety-Depression-Stress Scale and the School Adjustment Scale, and latent profile analysis was used to identify the subjects' school adjustment categories, and network analysis was subsequently used to explore the relationship between different school adjustment categories and anxiety, depression, and stress, respectively, as well as their gender characteristics.

RESULTS

In the symptom network of adolescents at risk for school maladjustment, "school emotions and attitudes" was the core symptom (Expected Impact Index: 0.86); in the co-morbidity network of school adjustment and anxiety, depression, and stress in adolescents at risk for school maladjustment, the core symptom was "uneasiness" (Expected Impact Index: 0.86); and "stress" (Expected Impact Index: 0.86) was the core symptom. "(EI: 1.12), "difficulty relaxing" (EI: 1.14) in males, and "depression" (EI: 1.06) in females, all with significant gender differences. Significant gender differences were found.

CONCLUSION

Adolescents' school adjustment was strongly associated with symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress, with significant gender differences in the structure of the network of co-morbid symptoms.

Mental health competencies are stronger determinants of well-being than mental disorder symptoms in both psychiatric and non-clinical samples

The present study aimed to investigate whether the strength of mental health competencies and the severity of mental disorder symptoms, and their interaction, differ in the strength of their associations with several dimensions of well-being in Hungarian adult psychiatric and non-clinical samples. All respondent in the psychiatric sample (129 patients (44 male, 85 female)) and in the non-clinical community sample (253 adults (43 male, 210 female)) completed the Mental Health Test, six measures of well-being and mental health, and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Including both mental health competencies and mental disorder symptoms in a regression model in both samples can predict patients' well-being even more accurately. Mental health competencies were positively related; mental disorder symptoms were negatively related to subjective well-being. In all models and in both samples, mental health competencies were found to be stronger determinants of well-being than mental disorder symptoms. The interaction of mental health competencies and mental disorder symptoms is no more predictive of well-being in either psychiatric or non-clinical samples than when the effects of each are considered separately. The assessment of mental health competencies has an important predictive value for well-being in the presence of psychopathological symptoms and/or mental disorders.

Preliminary validation of the Mental Health Test in a psychiatric sample

To assist psychiatrists and clinical psychologists to assess their patients' psychological immune competence-based capacities and resources, depending on the mental health disorder diagnosis and the severity of the symptoms, the present study examined the psychometric properties of the Mental Health Test in a psychiatric sample. The research was carried out in four Hungarian healthcare facilities using a cross-sectional design. A total of 331 patients (140 male, 188 female, and 3 who preferred not to disclose their gender) completed the Mental Health Test, six well-being and mental health measures, and the Symptom Checklist-90. Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists reported the mental disorder status of each participant. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit of the five-factor model to the data for the clinical version of the Mental Health Test (CFI = 0.972, RMSEA = 0.034). High internal consistency coefficients (α: 0.70-0.84; ω: 0.71-0.85) and excellent external and content validity were reported. The test is not sensitive to sociodemographic indicators but is sensitive to the correlates of well-being and to the symptoms of different types of mental disorders. Our preliminary findings suggest that the Mental Health Test is a suitable measure for assessing mental health capacities and resources in psychiatric samples.

Psychological resilience and competence: key promoters of successful aging and flourishing in late life

Many individuals, both in the public and within the field of psychology, often perceive aging as a burden that negatively impacts intellectual and mental health. Our present study aims to challenge this notion by identifying the crucial components of positive mental health in later life. These components not only promote positive mental health but also actively contribute to it, even under difficult circumstances. To accomplish this, we first offer a concise review of well-being and mental health models that highlight the psychological aspects of flourishing in late life. We then introduce a psychological competence-based model for positive mental health, which aligns with the concept of positive aging. Subsequently, we present a measurement tool suitable for practical applications. Finally, we provide a comprehensive overview of positive aging, drawing on methodological guidelines and existing research findings concerning sustainable positive mental health in later life. We examine the evidence indicating that psychological resilience (the capacity to adapt and recover from adversity or stress) and competence (skills and abilities to effectively cope with challenges across various life domains) significantly contribute to slowing down biological aging processes. Furthermore, we discuss insights into the relationship between psychological factors and aging derived from research on Blue Zones (regions characterized by a higher proportion of individuals experiencing longer, healthier lives).