Development of a psychological risk-screening checklist for non-military undergraduates in military universities based on the Dual-Factor Model of Mental Health

From the perspective of the Dual-Factor Model of Mental Health(DFM), this study aimed to validate the applicability of this model among non-military undergraduates students in military academies and, on this basis, to develop an other-rated screening checklist for identifying psychological-focused, individuals, thereby providing a novel assessment tool and practical evidence for the safety management of non-military undergraduates students in military academies.

A cluster sampling method was adopted. In January 2024, non-military undergraduate students from the National University of Defense Technology and the Army Medical University were recruited as study subjects, yielding a total of 1003 valid samples. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) were administered. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the structural validity of the dual-factor model of mental health. Intensity sampling was used, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 administrators responsible for non-military undergraduate students. Grounded theory three-level coding was applied to extract the item pool, yielding 73 open codes, 14 axial codes, and 3 selective codes. 8 experts in psychology and management were invited to participate in three rounds of Delphi consultation to screen items, ultimately forming an other-rated screening checklist for identifying psychologically at-risk individuals.

The dual-factor model of mental health, with positive and negative factors as latent variables, positive mental health and life satisfaction as observed variables of the positive factor, and depression and anxiety as observed variables of the negative factor, demonstrated good model fit (χ²/df=2.059). The final other-rated screening checklist for identifying psychologically at-risk civilian undergraduate students in military academies comprised 49 items, encompassing three core dimensions: external manifestations, predisposing factors, and stressors. The mean importance scores of the items ranged from 3.88 to 5.00.

The dual-factor model of mental health is applicable to civilian undergraduate students in military academies. The other-rated screening checklist for identifying psychologically at-risk civilian undergraduate students in military academies can serve as an other-rated screening tool for this population.