Development and assessment of a mental health preliminary screening questionnaire for cancer patients

Background The mental health of cancer patients is attracting increasing attention. Thus, an efficient mental health preliminary screening questionnaire (MHPSQ) for cancer patients is required. This study sought to develop an MHPSQ, test its reliability and validity, and administer it among cancer patients. Methods A literature review and interviews with 8 patients were conducted to determine the questionnaire item pool, and experts were consulted to confirm the first draft. Next, 150 cancer patients were selected for the project analysis and validity assessment to develop the final document; 400 patients were then selected for the reliability and validity tests. After which, 1,000 patients were assessed using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and MHPSQ, and the completion times for each scale were evaluated. Finally, the specificity and sensitivity of the MHPSQ were then determined. Results Four factors (i.e., mood, sleep, social function, and interpersonal relationships) were ultimately retained as MHPSQ items. MHPSQ's Cronbach's α and test-retest reliability were 0.76 and 0.92, respectively. The time required to complete the MHPSQ was 83.90±19.00 s. Its sensitivity and specificity were 92.4% and 98.5%, respectively. Conclusions The MHPSQ has good reliability and validity. Comprising only 4 items, it is easy to operate and effectively identifies patients with psychological abnormalities.