Evaluation of GHQ 28 as a Screening Test for Psychological Problems in Women from Low Socioeconomic Status

Abstract

Purpose of the study was to examine the reliability and applicability ofGHQ 28 in identifying psychological problems in Indian women from the state ofGujarat and also to determine the inter correlations between the subscales. The instrument was translated into Gujarati language and administered to 383 women from lower socioeconomic status from urban communities, All women were background and prone to domestic violence. Cronbach Alpha revealed a low reliability for the social dysfunction subscale. Two of its items had an extremely low and insignificant correlation with the other 5 items within the scale, Further, Factor analysis showed the social dysfunction scale as having two components instead of the expected one. Scoring with the Likert method and using a cut-off score of24 revealed that about 62.4 % of the women were identified as probable cases with psychological problems and needed second level screening for diagnosis.Poverty and domestic violence could account for the high scores. Anxiety and somatic complaints were the most prominent problems among them. Anxiety, somatic and depression subscales were significantly correlated.