Abstract

• Objectives
  This study purported to evaluate the factor structure of the Korean Family Mental Health test(K-FMHT), which was a self-report questionnaire composed of 67 items and developed for measuring the degree of mental health and psychopathological traits of the families by the comprehensive dimensions.
• Methods
  K-FMHT was administered to 476 married women subjects from normal families. A factor analysis revealed the 10 factor structure to be appropriate which determined by clinical, logical and statistical basis that included the pretest items expected empircally.
• Results
  1) It was founded that the 10 factors item composition of K-FMHT satisfied the content validity through factor analysis and explained 50.1% of total variances.
  2) 10 factors of K-FMHT have sufficient eigenvalues respectably and the factor loadings of total items were significantly high.
  3) Factor 1 explainded 18.8% of variance and the other factors 6.4-2.4% of variance.
  4) Factor namings were determinded which based the examination of the item contents : factor 1-open heartedness within family, factor 2 - family relationship of emotional disharmony, factor 3 - conflict relationship with mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, factor 4 - sexual relationship of couple, factor 5 - the filial devotion toward parent, factor 6 - openness toward community, factor 7 - patriarchic family, factor 8 - living together of family members, factor 9 - parent attachment toward children, factor 10 -parent unconditional love toward children.
  5) Some limitation and future requirements are discussed to increase the validity of the K-FMHT.
• Conclusions
  It was suggested that factor 5, 10 need to dupplement more items for increasing the validity of K-FMHT though the complimentary work.
• Keywords: Family evaluation; Family mental health; Validity; Factor analysis