Screening for anxiety, depression and poor psychological well-being in Spanish seafarers: An empirical study of the cut-off points on three measures of psychological functioning

The present study examines three variables that are associated with psychological issues in merchant seafarers: anxiety, depression and well-being. Furthermore, cut-off points have been established for three psychological scales: the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the World Health Organization's Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Two cross-sectional surveys were employed in this study, with a total sample size of 170 Spanish seafarers working on international merchant vessels. The participants were recruited at a branch of the Social Marine Institute situated in Gijón, northern Spain. The PHQ demonstrated the greatest discriminatory ability at each of the cut-off points, followed by the GAD and the WHO. The analysis revealed that while the PHQ exhibited the highest sensitivity, the GAD demonstrated the highest specificity, making it the most balanced questionnaire overall. Holiday duration was the only variable significantly related to any of the psychological scales, specifically the WHO. The findings of this study provide a foundation for further research in maritime mental health, with a particular focus on the prevention of maritime accidents.