Frontiers in Psychiatry (Sep 2024)

Evaluating the psychometric properties of three WHO instruments to assess knowledge about human rights, attitudes toward persons with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities, and practices related to substitute decision-making and coercion in mental health

  • Maria Francesca Moro,
  • Maria Francesca Moro,
  • Leveana Gyimah,
  • Ezra Susser,
  • Ezra Susser,
  • Joana Ansong,
  • Jeremy Kane,
  • Caroline Amissah,
  • Oye Gureje,
  • Akwasi Osei,
  • Andrea Norcini Pala,
  • Dan Taylor,
  • Nathalie Drew,
  • Humphrey Kofie,
  • Florence Baingana,
  • Sally-ann Ohene,
  • Nii Lartey Addico,
  • Abdul Fatawu,
  • Michela Atzeni,
  • Silvia D’Oca,
  • Mauro Giovanni Carta,
  • Michelle Funk

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1435608
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15

Abstract

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BackgroundInstruments to assess the knowledge about the rights of persons with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities, the attitudes toward their role as rights holders, and mental health professionals’ practices related to substitute decision-making and coercion are either missing or lack evaluation of their validity and reliability.AimThe aim of this study is to evaluate the validity and reliability of three instruments developed to fill this gap in the literature, the World Health Organization’s QualityRights (WHO QR) Knowledge questionnaire, the WHO QR Attitudes questionnaire, and the WHO QR Practices questionnaire.MethodsA sample of participants was recruited and completed an online survey. Content validity and face validity were assessed for the three questionnaires. Based on the characteristics of the questionnaires, different approaches were used to assess their construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis, known group validity, and convergent and divergent validity). Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and test re-test reliability using Pearson’s and Spearman’s r coefficients.ResultsThe analyses conducted indicate that the three questionnaires are valid and reliable instruments to evaluate the knowledge about the rights of persons with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities, the attitudes toward their role as rights holders, and mental health professionals’ practices related to substitute decision-making and coercion.ConclusionThis finding lends support to the use of these instruments both within mental health services and in the general population for a better understanding of current knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to a human rights–based approach to mental health in mental health services and the community.

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