Mental Health Self-Reports

Definition

Mental health self-reports are questionnaires or surveys that individuals complete to assess their own mental well-being. These reports typically ask about symptoms, emotions, and behaviors related to mental health.

Related terms

Observer Bias: Observer bias refers to the potential for someone else's perspective or judgment to influence the accuracy of the assessment. In the case of mental health self-reports, observer bias is eliminated since individuals assess themselves.

Social Desirability Bias: Social desirability bias occurs when people respond in ways they think will make them appear more socially acceptable or desirable. This bias might lead individuals to provide inaccurate information on their mental health self-reports.

Response Validity: Response validity refers to whether participants are answering questions truthfully and accurately. Critics argue that response validity may be compromised in mental health self-reports due to factors such as memory biases or unintentional misrepresentation.