1. Introduction

This paper examines the status of psychometric testing in Chinese high schools, the limitations of psychometric testing questions, and the methods and suggestions for improvement. The purpose of mental health testing is to understand the psychological state of students, detect potential psychological problems in a timely manner, and provide appropriate help and support. Mental health is crucial for students’ personal growth, learning effectiveness, and future development. Students need to recognize the necessity and importance of participating in these tests. Testing should be applied to all students, including those with mounting academic pressure, quiet introverted vulnerable students with unseen family issues, and others with special needs. The participation will be helpful for students to understand their psychological states, adjust their mindset, and improve their learning efficiency and quality of life.

The main weakness of the current high school mental health test questions is the failure to address the comprehensive biases and the lack of accuracy and focus on novelty and entertainment effects over practicality. First, there are misunderstandings in the design of some psychometric test questions, which may lead to inaccurate results. Second, in reality, those questions may not reflect the psychological state of adolescent truthfully. Lastly, some mental health test questions have been used for the purpose of amusement or recreation, instead of providing troubled students with timely help.

Mental health assessments in high schools should evaluate a range of students' psychological conditions, such as academic stress, social stress, feelings of isolation, and their propensity for assistance, to enhance the understanding of students' psychological traits and conduct among students, parents, and educational institutions.

Furthermore, psychometric evaluations can determine variations in students' learning capabilities, personality traits, and their respective areas of proficiency and deficiency. This is an effective measure which can be taken by schools to improve students’ learning abilities and resilience, and it also lays the foundation of establishing psychological clinics with early detections of any destructive changes in students’ mental health and peer interactions. It supports timely group counseling for general psychological issues and early warning or referral for serious psychological troubles, reducing the risk of suicide, school violence, and other malignant incidents.

Therefore, high school mental health test questions are important for comprehensively assessing students’ mental health. They help identify and address potential psychological complication and promote students’ overall healthy development. They also provide an effective measure for schools and educators to support and guide students’ growth.

2. Current Status of Psychological Test Items in Chinese High Schools

The evaluation of high school mental health test questions mainly focuses on students’ self-awareness, emotional regulation, stress management, interpersonal relationships, self-confidence, psychological resistance, hobbies and interests, emotional expression, and mental health knowledge. These questions are designed to comprehensively assess the mental health of high school students, helping them identify and resolve potential issues that contribute to their overall well-being and development.

In terms of self-awareness and emotion regulation, the test evaluates students’ emotional intelligence by assessing their ability to recognize and manage their emotions, control anger, and adapt to various situations. Coping with stress and relationships are also integral parts of the assessment. The test measures a student’s ability to cope with school-related stress, exam pressure, and general life stress, as well as their ability to build and maintain healthy relationships. These competencies are essential for students’ mental health and social resilience.

Self-confidence and psychological resilience are evaluated to determine students’ ability to maintain a positive mindset in the face of challenges and difficulties, as well as whether they have sufficient self-confidence and self-esteem. These factors may indicate their capacities to overcome adversity. Regarding hobbies and interests, the test focuses on whether students have their own interests and hobbies, and whether they can regulate their emotions and relax their minds through these activities, which have a positive impact on students’ mental health and well-being.

Moreover, emotional expression and mental health knowledge are assessed by examining whether students can express their feelings and emotions appropriately, and whether they have a certain understanding of mental health and can properly deal with their own and others’ psychological problems. This assessment help gauge students’ readiness to manage emotional challenges and seek for help when it is necessary.

Collectively, these test questions not only help high school students self-assess their mental health, but also provide valuable references for parents and teachers to identify and solve students’ psychological problems in a timely manner. By doing so, they promote the healthy growth of students. At the same time, the diversified test forms and contents comprehensively reflect the psychological state of students and provide a basis for subsequent psychological interventions and treatments.

3. Issues in Current Tests

Firstly, the problems of high school mental health test questions mainly include the following aspects. Questions include insufficient coverage of questions. Some test questions may not fully cover all aspects of mental health, such as emotional management, interpersonal communication, self-awareness, resulting in the inability to comprehensively assess students’ mental health status.

Tests lack of specificity which may not be designed for the unique psychological characteristics and development stages of high school students, such as the special needs of adolescence, academic pressure, future planning. There is also misrepresentation of the questions. Some questions may not be clear or instructive, resulting in misunderstandings or difficulties in students’ responses.

Testes of questions might ignore individual differences. Test questions might not fully consider students’ individual differences, such as gender, cultural background, personal experience, etc., which may affect the accuracy and applicability of test results. Mental health tests lack of effective assessment and feedback mechanisms. Professional assessment and feedback are often not provided after the test to help students understand the results and take appropriate action.

The questions may also not be sensitive enough to the student’s psychological problems to detect the psychological distress or disorder. Questions neglect long-term follow-up and assessment. Mental health tests are often one-time, lacking long-term and continuous assessment of students’ mental health, and they are unable to detect and intervene in problems in a timely manner.

Secondly, the current situation of high school mental health test questions shows that there are some problems in the mental health assessment organized and implemented by schools and teachers. The assessment process does not conform to the norms. Most of the mental health assessment work is initiated by schools and teachers, and there is a lack of unified standardized processes. As a result, the purpose, content and method of assessment are mainly determined by schools according to their own needs, and there is a lack of unified standards and guidance. However, school teachers need to be in a good position to provide initial assistance to students with mental health problems. Research quantifying key aspects of mental health literacy, such as (a) awareness of mental disorders, (b) attitudes towards mental health issues, (c) self-efficacy in student support, and (d) actual support behaviors, was considered eligible for inclusion, irrespective of the research methodology employed. [1]. Psychometric tests need to be developed according to standardized procedures, including test administration, score assessment and interpretation of results. If the test procedure does not follow these standardized steps, it may not be out of specification.

The degree of specialization of the evaluators is not high enough. Mental health evaluations are primarily conducted by mental health instructors, either full-time or part-time, as well as class teachers, most of whom have limited professional training in the field of mental health assessment. Thus, it is difficult to effectively grasp the connotation of psychological problems and accurately judge the applicability of the assessment tools. Nevertheless, the complexity of these instruments, along with their extensive question sets, demands considerable time for administration. This often results in diminished engagement and completion rates. Moreover, the data gathered from these assessments necessitates manual analysis and interpretation by mental health experts, which can potentially lead to erroneous diagnostic outcomes [2]. The use of assessment tools is unbalanced. Some schools do not know the applicability, reliability and validity, assessment methods, and interpretation of assessment tools, making it difficult to distinguish the differences between different mental health assessment tools.

There is over-reliance on scale results. Some schools determine whether a student has a psychological problem based on a questionnaire or scale scores alone, which may exacerbate and problematize students’ emotional tendencies, while also ignoring students who have real psychological problems. The results of the physical test cannot be used as the basis for individual evaluation and should be objectively evaluated in combination with a variety of methods. If the test program relies too much on the test results and ignores other evaluation methods, it is not compliant. As a result, schools must set up multitiered systems of mental health support and services in schools. Evidence shows that comprehensive approaches encompassing mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention, and treatment enhance academic performance and psychosocial well-being, while mitigating the risks of adverse outcomes like mental health disorders and educational underachievement. There is a growing trend in policy and practice to incorporate mental health support within the educational framework, which includes equipping educators with the skills to foster mental well-being and facilitate timely detection and response to mental health issues [3].

4. Comparison and Suggestions

Based on the problems mentioned above, to improve the high school psychometric test questions, the following aspects should be considered. First, the test should ensure that the questions are diverse and comprehensive. The test questions should cover different aspects of mental health, such as emotional management, self-awareness, interpersonal communication, stress coping, etc. Second, the test designers should pay attention to the ease of use and consistency of the topic. The test requirements table should include automatic identification of whether the current environment meets the basic requirements, easy to know the functional list of the product/system and guide the user to normal operation to avoid errors. Nowadays, research indicates that holistic strategies that include mental health awareness, prevention measures, prompt action, and therapeutic services can boost students' academic success and emotional health, and also lower the likelihood of negative consequences such as mental illnesses and academic failure. Increasingly, educational policies and practices are moving towards embedding mental health initiatives into school systems, focusing on training staff to nurture mental health and to swiftly identify and manage mental health concerns [4].

Moreover, it is important to protect students’ privacy. When conducting psychological tests, the principle of confidentiality should be strictly followed, to eliminate students’ vigilance and ensure the security of students’ information. Students’ privacy is paramount during mental health testing. Here are some key measures: the principle of confidentiality must be strictly followed to protect the privacy of students, unless students may have extreme behaviors such as self-injury or other injury, the principle of confidentiality should be broken, and the class teacher and his guardian should be informed in time. It is forbidden to force students to undergo psychological testing, which should be conducted based on the student’s informed and voluntary participation and respect the student’s right to choose. It is forbidden to label students as “mental illness” to avoid secondary harm to students caused by labeling.

Meanwhile, the test designer can incorporate the principles of educational psychology. The test questions should be based on the theories of educational psychology to better assess the psychological state and needs of students. Provide professional feedback and guidance. Professional assessment and feedback should be provided after the test to help students understand the test results and provide personalized advice and guidance based on the results. Establish an effective feedback mechanism. Test results should be shared with schools, teachers, and parents, and corresponding actions should be taken based on the results to promote the development of students’ mental health. Meanwhile, in place of conventional mental health interventions, self-assessment and self-management resources for mental health are increasingly accessible. Although these platforms promise tailored and immediate assistance, users are confronted with the task of selecting the right option from a vast array of digital tools, applications, and support networks [5].

The test should consider cultural and individual differences. Test questions should consider different cultural backgrounds and individual differences to ensure that the test is fair and appropriate for all students. Regularly update and maintain testing tools. As psychological research progresses and social practice requires, psychometric testing tools should be updated regularly to maintain their timeliness and accuracy. Strengthen teacher training to improve teachers’ professional competence in mental health education so that they can better understand and use psychological test results. For students, the feeling of being part of a community within a school, often referred to as ‘school connectedness’ or ‘belongingness,’ serves as a crucial indicator of mental well-being. A multitude of researchers have studied how this sense of community influences the mental health of adolescents, discovering that a strong connection to school is linked to positive behaviors, active participation and adjustment in school, enhanced motivation, regular attendance, improved conflict resolution abilities, and increased prosocial actions [6]. Through these improvement measures, the effectiveness and practicability of high school psychological tests can be improved, and students’ mental health education and growth and development can be better served.

At the same time, the evaluators should be cautious in the use of psychometric scales or other testing methods to ensure the scientific and applicability of these tools and avoid the use of instruments and equipment that may harm students’ physical and mental health. The Ministry of Education and other government departments should specially formulate screening scales suitable for adolescents of different ages and establish measures for the protection of mental health privacy and mechanisms for accountability for privacy leaks. When screening for mental health problems, the privacy and confidentiality of minors should be strengthened, for example, hospitals should provide “point-to-point” notification to those with abnormal results, and schools should strictly limit the scope of personnel to know the screening results. Simultaneously, it is crucial to pinpoint programs that are effective for a diverse range of issues and conditions, to investigate how ethnicity and culture affect the uptake and outcomes of interventions, to understand the circumstances that lead to the success or failure of these programs, to determine the mechanisms behind their effectiveness, to evaluate interventions in practical settings, and to ensure that proven strategies are both accessible and impactful in community and clinical environments. Bridging the gap between research and practical application in prevention and treatment will benefit the scientific community, practitioners, and the well-being of children, teenagers, and their families [7].

Furthermore, the handling of personal data must adhere to the principles of legality, fairness, necessity, and integrity, and should not be obtained through deceit, trickery, or force. It is also essential to maintain openness and transparency by clearly communicating the policies for managing personal data, including the objectives, techniques, and extent of processing. Consent from the individual is required prior to processing their personal information, and should the individual rescind their consent, it does not invalidate the legitimacy of any prior data processing activities that were conducted with their consent.

Finally, strengthen correct publicity and guidance related to the mental health of society, schools, families, and minor students, increase the public’s awareness and understanding of mental health issues. To understand the definition of mental health, it is important to realize the truth of well-being. Factors beyond well-being components also play a significant role in fostering positive mental health; these include resilience, adaptability to change, and the cultivation of effective coping strategies, such as the capacity to appreciate positive experiences and manage negative ones [8]. Also, there is no doubt to put an end to covert discrimination, differential treatment, and other inappropriate conduct that harms the lawful rights and interests of minors.

5. Conclusion

Under the influence of various social factors, the current situation of contemporary youth mental health is not optimistic. Many manifestations highlight the seriousness of youth psychological problems. Therefore, it is particularly important to strengthen students’ mental health education, improve college students’ self-awareness, and carry out effective psychological intervention through a variety of means. Through mental health tests, educators and mental health professionals can better understand students’ inner experiences and take appropriate steps to promote students’ mental health and overall well-being.

At present, most schools are actively discussing and proposing countermeasures to students’ mental health problems. However, there are many problems in the current situation of mental health education in colleges and universities, such as the lack of clarity of ideological concepts, the lack of professionalism of test questions, and the need to strengthen privacy protection. Among them, the lack of professionalism of mental health test questions hinders the main problem of large-scale mental health education in schools. Thus, high school psychometric test questions can be improved through the following methods.

First, schools should work with a psychologist, educational psychologist, and high school mental health counselor to make sure the test questions are scientifically valid. At the same time, they collect feedback from high school students to understand their psychological needs and problems, so that the test questions are closer to the actual situation of students. Second, schools need to consider cultural and regional differences, ensuring that the test questions are fair and appropriate for students from different cultural backgrounds and that design questions reflect the differences of different individuals. Test questions should also be regularly reviewed and updated to adapt to social changes and the development of students’ needs. Third, a combination of quantitative and qualitative assessment methods provides a comprehensive understanding of the psychological state of students. Furthermore, schools must provide professional training to educators and professionals who perform tests to improve their ability to interpret test results. Lastly, information technology, such as online testing platforms, can be used to improve the convenience and interactivity of testing. They can establish a feedback mechanism to continuously optimize test questions based on feedback from students, teachers, and parents. Resources and support are provided after the test to help students and ensure that questions are designed and tested without gender, race, or socioeconomic status bias. If these methods could be conducted in the future, the relevance and validity of psychometric test questions would be improved. High school students can thus better cope with their mental health challenges.