Validating a Behavioral Health Instrument for Adults: Exploratory Factor Analysis

Increasingly, social workers and behavioral health practitioners use assessment instruments to support service planning and to monitor progress. Following statewide implementation of the Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment (ANSA) to identify behavioral health symptoms, related functional challenges, risks, and strengths, this validation study explored the underlying structure of the instrument. An exploratory factor analysis used routinely collected information for Midwestern adults with diagnosed behavioral health disorders who participated in community-based services (N = 46,013). Five factors with adequate to good internal consistency (α = 0.733−0.880) emerged: personal recovery, trauma and stress related problems, substance use risks, self-sufficiency, and cultural-linguistic considerations. Validation of the ANSA supports use of the instrument to engage individuals and families, to plan services, to monitor progress, and to conduct research. Implications for social work education, supervision, and practice include the importance of understanding culture, holistic assessment, and services supporting personal recovery for individuals living with mental illness or substance use disorders. Confirmation of findings requires additional research