Emotional response of participants to a mental health survey

Following participation in a mental health survey of 2725 adults aged 18-79 , respondents were asked if the questionnaire had made them feel distressed or depressed, and if it had been an intrusion on privacy or had made them feel good about themselves. While 5% reported feeling distressed, 3% depres sed and 3% were concerned about privacy, 35% reported feeling good about th emselves. The participants reporting negative feelings were more likely to be younger women, to be higher on negative personality measures, to report more anxiety and depression symptoms, and to have had more childhood advers ity and lower social support. Those who reported positive feelings had high er positive personality scores, more social support and lower anxiety and d epression. This group was more likely to be older women. Despite the sensit ive nature of many of the questions, only a small percentage of respondents reported distress, while many found that the questionnaire had made them f eel good about themselves. This is important information to present to Inst itutional Ethics Committees and to future participants in such studies.