Conducting systematic reviews of the quality and psychometric properties of health-related measurement instruments: Finding the right tool for the job

Assessing mental health in an individual is complex as clinicians are unable to directly observe the psychological well-being of others and self-assessment is unreliable especially among those experiencing anxiety, depression, psychosis or mood swings. Many measurement instruments have been developed to measure psychological constructs. However, ensuring the validity of these tools to obtain the best evidence remains a challenge, and choosing the best tool to answer a research question is considered a difficult task (Duckworth & Yeager, 2015). Systematic reviews of measurement properties of instruments have long been identified as a valuable strategy to ensure that we select the right tool to assess mental health.