Abstract: n a cross-cultural study using samples from China and Germany (n = 419), short forms of established mental health psychometric instruments were evaluated for their psychometric properties. These instruments were selected because they operationalize the different phases of Howard’s phase model of psychotherapy: remoralization, remediation and rehabilitation. The main goal of the study was to determine if the short forms of these instruments could serve as means for quality management in a cross-cultural training project for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Sufficient reliability and validity (convergent validity and sensitivity to pathology) were found in both cultures. At first glance, high intercorrelations of the tests suggested a one-dimensional model of mental health. However, an exploratory factor analysis and theoretical considerations favoured the alternative of differentiating mental health into eight sub-dimensions, whereby each of the sub-dimensions could be linked to basic or social emotions. These findings and their implications for quality management are discussed in some detail

Key words: Quality management, phase model of psychotherapy, process evaluation, intercultural research, short forms of well known instruments