Validity of the five-item mental health inventory for screening current mood and anxiety disorders in the general population

Margreet Ten Have, Marja J.H. Van Bon-Martens, Frederiek Schouten, Saskia Van Dorsselaer, Laura Shields-Zeeman, Annemarie I. Luik*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Objectives: The Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) is frequently used as a screener for mood and anxiety disorders. However, few population-based studies have validated it against a diagnostic instrument assessing disorders following current diagnostic criteria. Methods: Within the third Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS-3), a representative population-based study of adults (N = 6194; age: 18–75 years), the MHI-5 was used to measure general mental ill-health in the past month. Presence of mood (major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, or bipolar disorder) and anxiety disorders (panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder) in the past month was assessed with a slightly modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0 per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders-5. Results: The MHI-5 was good to excellent at distinguishing people with and without a mood disorder, an anxiety disorder, and any mood or anxiety disorder. The cut-off value associated with the highest sensitivity and highest specificity for mood disorder was ≤68, and ≤76 for an anxiety disorder or any mood or anxiety disorder. Conclusions: The MHI-5 can identify individuals at high risk of a current mood or anxiety disorder in the general population when diagnostic interviews are too time consuming.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere2030
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research
Volume33
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Funding

the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

FundersFunder number
Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

    Keywords

    • anxiety disorders
    • general population
    • mood disorders
    • screening
    • sensitivity
    • specificity

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