Positive Mental Health Questionnaire-Short Form (PMHQ-SF18): Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version


Por: Lluch-Canut T, Puig Llobet M, Sánchez-Ortega MA, Moreno-Arroyo C, Moreno-Poyato AR, Roldan-Merino J, Hidalgo-Blanco MÁ, Ferre-Grau C, Albacar-Riobóo N, Sequeira C, Sánchez-Balcells S, Mantas-Jiménez S, Prats-Arimon M and Agüera Z

Publicada: 7 nov 2025 Ahead of Print: 7 nov 2025
Resumen:
Background: The construct of positive mental health (PMH) is defined as the basis of individuals' psychological well-being and their ability to function effectively and cope with life's challenges. The Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ) is a reliable tool for assessing the PMH factors, but its length (39 items) can pose challenges in certain contexts and populations. This highlights the need for an abridged version of the questionnaire that requires less time to administer. Therefore, the main aim was to validate the Spanish 18 item-shortened version of the PMHQ (PMHQ-SF18). Methods: The sample consisted of 574 nursing students. Psychometric analyses were carried out based on construct validity, criterion validity, and internal consistency. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to ascertain whether the internal structure was consistent with the model of the previously validated Portuguese brief version. Results: The results supported the good psychometric properties of the instrument, with adequate validity and reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed optimal goodness-of-fit values, supporting the six-factor structure. The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.83. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the PMHQ-SF18 is a valid and reliable instrument, comparable to the original version, but with the added benefits of being shorter, quicker, and easier to administer. Consequently, it may be particularly useful for population-based screening studies and for monitoring change following positive mental health promotion interventions. Its abridged format makes it particularly suitable for assessing individuals with specific characteristics or in contexts where time is limited, and more concise instruments are required, for example, in primary care or critical care.

Filiaciones:
Lluch-Canut T:
 Departament d'Infermeria de Salut Pública, Salut Mental i Maternoinfantil, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain

 Research Group in Mental Health, Psychosocial and Complex Nursing Care (NURSEARCH), Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Puig Llobet M:
 Departament d'Infermeria de Salut Pública, Salut Mental i Maternoinfantil, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain

 Research Group in Mental Health, Psychosocial and Complex Nursing Care (NURSEARCH), Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Sánchez-Ortega MA:
 Departament de Fonaments Professionals i Gestió en Salut, Facultat de Ciències de la Salut i el Benestar, Universitat de Vic, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Moreno-Arroyo C:
 Departament d'Infermeria Fonamental i Clínica, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

 Department of Nursing Research Group (GRIN), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Moreno-Poyato AR:
 Departament d'Infermeria de Salut Pública, Salut Mental i Maternoinfantil, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain

 Research Group in Mental Health, Psychosocial and Complex Nursing Care (NURSEARCH), Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Roldan-Merino J:
 Research Group in Mental Health, Psychosocial and Complex Nursing Care (NURSEARCH), Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

 Campus Docent Sant Joan de Déu-Fundació Privada, School of Nursing, Sant Boi de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Hidalgo-Blanco MÁ:
 Departament d'Infermeria Fonamental i Clínica, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

 Department of Nursing Research Group (GRIN), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Ferre-Grau C:
 Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, University of Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain

Albacar-Riobóo N:
 Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, University of Rovira i Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain

Sequeira C:
 Center for Health Technology and Services Research-Health Research Network from de Lab to the Community CINTESIS@RISE/ESEP, Nursing School of Porto, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal

Sánchez-Balcells S:
 Departament d'Infermeria de Salut Pública, Salut Mental i Maternoinfantil, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain

 Research Group in Mental Health, Psychosocial and Complex Nursing Care (NURSEARCH), Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Mantas-Jiménez S:
 Departament d'Infermeria, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain

 Health and Health Care Research Group, Universitat de Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain

Prats-Arimon M:
 Research Group in Mental Health, Psychosocial and Complex Nursing Care (NURSEARCH), Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

 Departament d'Infermeria Fonamental i Clínica, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Agüera Z:
 Departament d'Infermeria de Salut Pública, Salut Mental i Maternoinfantil, Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain

 Research Group in Mental Health, Psychosocial and Complex Nursing Care (NURSEARCH), Facultat d'Infermeria, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08007 Barcelona, Spain

 Psychoneurobiology of Eating and Addictive Behaviors Group, Neurosciences Programme, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona, Spain

 Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
ISSN: 2039439X





Nursing Reports
Editorial
MDPI, MDPI AG, Grosspeteranlage 5, CH-4052 BASEL, SWITZERLAND, Suiza
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 15 Número: 11
Páginas:
WOS Id: 001624274000001
ID de PubMed: 41295817
imagen Green Submitted, Green Published, gold

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