The factor structure of the 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) in young Chinese civil servants

Background: The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is a commonly used screening instrument for measuring mental disorders. However, few studies have measured the mental health of Chinese professionals or explored the factor structure of the GHQ-12 through investigations of young Chinese civil servants. Method: This study analyses the factor structure of the GHQ-12 on young Chinese civil servants. Respondents include 1051 participants from six cities in eastern China. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to identify the potential factor structure of the GHQ-12. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) models of previous studies are referred to for model fitting. Results: The results indicate the GHQ-12 has very good reliability and validity. All ten CFA models are well fitted with the actual data. Conclusion: All the ten models are feasible and fit the data equally well. The Chinese version of the GHQ-12 is suitable for professional groups and can serve as a screening tool to detect anxiety and psychiatric disorders.