Validation of the Mental Health Continuum‐Short Form and the dual continua model of well‐being and psychopathology in an adult mental health setting

OBJECTIVE: The growing evidence for the dual continua model of psychopathology and well‐being has important implications for measuring outcomes in mental health care. The aim of the current study is to validate a measure of well‐being as well as the dual continua model in adults with mood, anxiety, personality, and developmental disorders. METHODS: 472 adult psychiatric outpatients filled out the Mental Health Continuum‐Short Form (MHC‐SF) and the Outcome Questionnaire before start of treatment. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) confirmed the three‐factor structure of emotional, psychological, and social well‐being of the MHC‐SF. The dual continua model had the best fit in the complete sample and the different diagnostic groups. CONCLUSION: The MHC‐SF is a reliable and valid instrument to measure well‐being in the psychiatric population. Although relatively high correlations between psychopathology and well‐being exist, the results underline the importance to measure well‐being in addition to psychopathology in mental health care.