Exploring the Relationship between the MHI-38 and the NEO-FFI-3 among Filipinos

Pages: 14-20
Marc Eric S. Reyes (Department of Psychology, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines)
Roger D. Davis (Institute for the Study of Personality, United States of America)
Mea Isabelle D. Miranda, Aarone Dominique R. Figueroa, Kathleen Mae U. Sim, and Mary Antoinette M. Sunga (University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines)

This study looked at the relationship between the Mental Health Inventory-38 and the NEO-FFI-3 among Filipinos. The Mental Health Inventory-38 is intended as a broadband measure o f mental health and well-being. The NEO-FFI- 3 is intended as a brief version o f the NEO-PI-3, which describes personality in terms o f the Five Factor Model, namely Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. Participants were 1040 Filipino citizens between 18 to 6 6 years old. Among the five factors, Neuroticism had the strongest negative association with mental health and Psychological Well-Being, while having the strongest positive association with Psychological Distress. Neuroticism also dominated correlations with the MHI-38 subscales. Correlations with Extraversion were modest in comparison for both the MHI-38 global indices and subscales. Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness are poorly represented in the MHI-38. The pattern o f correlations calls the validity o f some MHI-38 constructs into question.