Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University Students
Background The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is widely used to assess psychological distress across cultural contexts. However, psychometric evidence in Peruvian university students remains limited. This study examined the factorial structure, reliability, and sex invariance of the GHQ-12 in...
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| Lenguaje: | inglés |
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2026
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| author | Jacksaint Saintila Percy G. Ruiz-Mamani Marilú Elena Barreto Espinoza Yaquelin E. Calizaya-Milla |
| author_browse | Jacksaint Saintila Marilú Elena Barreto Espinoza Percy G. Ruiz-Mamani Yaquelin E. Calizaya-Milla |
| author_facet | Jacksaint Saintila Percy G. Ruiz-Mamani Marilú Elena Barreto Espinoza Yaquelin E. Calizaya-Milla |
| author_sort | Jacksaint Saintila |
| collection | Producción científica |
| description | Background The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is widely used to assess psychological distress across cultural contexts. However, psychometric evidence in Peruvian university students remains limited. This study examined the factorial structure, reliability, and sex invariance of the GHQ-12 in this population. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 768 Peruvian university students who completed the GHQ-12. Item-level descriptive analyses, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability estimation, and multigroup CFA by sex were performed. Internal consistency was estimated using ordinal alpha. Results EFA supported by parallel analysis indicated a unidimensional structure as the optimal empirical solution. However, considering previous evidence for both unidimensional and bidimensional structures, competing CFA models were tested. Both models showed acceptable fit, but the two-factor model demonstrated superior fit indices (CFI = 0.991, TLI = 0.988, RMSEA = 0.050, SRMR = 0.053) compared with the one-factor model (CFI = 0.980, TLI = 0.975, RMSEA = 0.063, SRMR = 0.065). Multigroup CFA supported configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across sex. Reliability analyses showed adequate internal consistency for both factors and the total scale (ordinal α > 0.80). Conclusion The GHQ-12 showed adequate psychometric properties in Peruvian university students. Although EFA supported a unidimensional solution, CFA favored the bidimensional model, which also demonstrated sex invariance and satisfactory reliability. These findings support the GHQ-12 as a useful tool for assessing psychological distress in university settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | openalex:W7223046968 |
| institution | UPeU |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
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| spelling | openalex:W7223046968Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University StudentsJacksaint SaintilaPercy G. Ruiz-MamaniMarilú Elena Barreto EspinozaYaquelin E. Calizaya-Millapsychological distressfactor structuretwo-dimensional modelunidimensional modelsex invariancepsychometric propertiesreliability statisticsuniversity studentsPeruvian studentscross-cultural measurementPsychometric Methodologies and TestingAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesHealth Education and ValidationBackground The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is widely used to assess psychological distress across cultural contexts. However, psychometric evidence in Peruvian university students remains limited. This study examined the factorial structure, reliability, and sex invariance of the GHQ-12 in this population. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 768 Peruvian university students who completed the GHQ-12. Item-level descriptive analyses, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability estimation, and multigroup CFA by sex were performed. Internal consistency was estimated using ordinal alpha. Results EFA supported by parallel analysis indicated a unidimensional structure as the optimal empirical solution. However, considering previous evidence for both unidimensional and bidimensional structures, competing CFA models were tested. Both models showed acceptable fit, but the two-factor model demonstrated superior fit indices (CFI = 0.991, TLI = 0.988, RMSEA = 0.050, SRMR = 0.053) compared with the one-factor model (CFI = 0.980, TLI = 0.975, RMSEA = 0.063, SRMR = 0.065). Multigroup CFA supported configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across sex. Reliability analyses showed adequate internal consistency for both factors and the total scale (ordinal α > 0.80). Conclusion The GHQ-12 showed adequate psychometric properties in Peruvian university students. Although EFA supported a unidimensional solution, CFA favored the bidimensional model, which also demonstrated sex invariance and satisfactory reliability. These findings support the GHQ-12 as a useful tool for assessing psychological distress in university settings.Articlehttps://doi.org/10.1177/21582440261493125W7223046968enSAGE Open2158-24402026-10-01 |
| spellingShingle | psychological distress factor structure two-dimensional model unidimensional model sex invariance psychometric properties reliability statistics university students Peruvian students cross-cultural measurement Psychometric Methodologies and Testing Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Health Education and Validation Jacksaint Saintila Percy G. Ruiz-Mamani Marilú Elena Barreto Espinoza Yaquelin E. Calizaya-Milla Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University Students |
| title | Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University Students |
| title_full | Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University Students |
| title_fullStr | Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University Students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University Students |
| title_short | Factor Structure, Reliability, and Sex Invariance of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Peruvian University Students |
| title_sort | factor structure reliability and sex invariance of the general health questionnaire ghq 12 in peruvian university students |
| topic | psychological distress factor structure two-dimensional model unidimensional model sex invariance psychometric properties reliability statistics university students Peruvian students cross-cultural measurement Psychometric Methodologies and Testing Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Health Education and Validation |
| topic_facet | psychological distress factor structure two-dimensional model unidimensional model sex invariance psychometric properties reliability statistics university students Peruvian students cross-cultural measurement Psychometric Methodologies and Testing Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Health Education and Validation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440261493125 |
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