Validation of the Urdu Translation of Mental Health Continuum- Short form (MHC-SF): Education in Perspective
- Muhammad FARAN , Institute of Applied Psychology University of the Punjab, Lahore, PAKISTAN
- Naima HASSAN , Assistant Professor Department of Psychology, Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan
- Bisma EJAZ , Department of Applied Psychology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, PAKISTAN
- Amna KHAWAR , Department of Applied Psychology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, PAKISTAN
- Nudra MALIK , Department of Applied Psychology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, PAKISTAN
- Afreen KOMAL , Institute of Applied Psychology University of the Punjab, Lahore, PAKISTAN
- Amina MUAZZAM , Department of Applied Psychology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, PAKISTAN
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The construct of well-being using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) (Corey L. M. Keyes et al., 2008) has been studied across various cultures, validated across several populations and languages. However, there are no published psychometric properties of its Urdu version. This study is an attempt to bridge this gap. The need was felt to translate and linguistically validate the MHC-SF into the Urdu language for male and female Pakistani students. Methodology: The study had two phases: In phase, I, the Urdu translation of the MHC-SF was carried out using Mapi guidelines for the standard forward and backward translation methods. In phase II, validation of the MHCSF was determined, yielding confirmatory factor analysis. For the empirical evaluation, a sample of 712 students, including both 368 males and 344 females of undergraduate and postgraduate level with the age range of 18-28 years (M =23.58, SD= 3.35) were recruited. The psychometric evolution of the MHC-SF turned into excellent validity and reliability estimates for constructs. Moreover, strict measurement invariance was established for MHC-SF across males and females. Findings: The findings showed that the Urdu version of the MHC-SF had strong psychometric properties, and linguistically and culturally was acceptable. Thus MHC-SF was invariant at all measurement standards across males and females. Implications for Research and Practice: It is evident that this study would pave the way for positive psychology to make research available to measure the constructs more indigenously in future. Future research can utilize these psychometric properties of MHC-SF across different demographic variables.
Keywords: Forward-backward translation, Urdu, MHC-SF scales, well-being, education