A study on developing a mental health assessment system using computerized-adaptive testing techniques and its applications to school and workplace

本研究的目的是：(1)为学生和成人（工作者）开发一个方便的心理健康评估系统（IRT-CAT），(2)验证该心理健康评估系统在学校和职业环境中的可用性。作为研究的第一部分，我们对成年工人心理健康量表（ce - d、K6和STAI-YZ）的反应数据进行多元条目反应理论模型分析，以确定心理健康潜在特质连续体上各条目的阈值和判别参数。初高中学生的SRQ-20、PSI初中学生压力反应量表和Birleson儿童抑郁自评量表（DSRS-C）的反应也采用相同的IRT分析。IRT-CAT系统的初始版本是使用这些参数开发的。作为第二项研究，在两个职业环境中对IRT-CAT系统进行了现场试验。根据与职业医生和卫生保健人员的讨论，试验系统不仅包括心理健康评估，还包括对影响工人心理健康的因素的测量，如工作场所的压力源、社会支持和组织承诺。因此，该制度涵盖了工人的整体生活和健康状况。在这些试验的基础上进行修订后，构建了工人心理健康评估IRT-CAT系统的最终版本。

The purposes of this study were (1) development of a convenient mental health evaluation (IRT-CAT)system for students and adults (workers) and (2) verification of the availability of that mental health evaluation system in school and occupational settings. As the first part of the study, response data of adult workers on the mental health scales, CES-D, K6 and STAI-YZ, were subjected to an analysis of polytomous item response theory model to identify the threshold and discrimination parameters of each item on a latent trait continuum for mental health. Responses of junior and senior high school students on SRQ-20, PSI junior high school student stress reaction scale and Birleson's depression self-rating scale for children (DSRS-C) were also subjected to the same IRT analysis. The initial version of IRT-CAT system was developed using these parameters. As the second, a field trial of that IRT-CAT system was conducted in two occupational settings. As discussed with occupational physicians and health care staff, the trial system consisted not only of mental health assessment but of measurements for factors affecting mental health of workers, such as stressors at workplace, social support, and organizational commitment. Thus, the system covered overall life and health conditions of workers. After the revision based on these trials, the final version of IRT-CAT system for mental health assessment of workers was constructed.