The Catalogue of Mental Health Measures is designed to provide easy access to information about the mental health measures included in UK cohort and longitudinal studies to maximise the uptake of existing data and facilitate mental health research.

The Catalogue provides descriptions of the studies as well as the instruments used to assess mental health and wellbeing. It also includes details on each measure such as the items, informants, response scale and reporting period. Users can explore existing data by searching for a specific study, a mental health topic, or an instrument.

By providing details of the measures and studies, the Catalogue serves as a resource for researchers to identify datasets that include mental health and wellbeing measures, plan harmonisation studies, and plan further data collection.

The Catalogue collaborates with DATAMIND and the DATAMIND Super Research Advisory group (SRAG). DATAMIND continuously organises UK data, focusing on mental health information, including gene studies, routine care, volunteer cohorts, and trials (often through the Catalogue of Mental Health Measures), as well as novel data from schools and charities. The overall aim is to transform how mental health data in the UK is accessed and found and used.

The Catalogue of Mental Health Measures features over 55 cohort studies, more than 4,000 measures of mental health and wellbeing, and covers 30+ mental health topics.

The Catalogue includes a range of study types, including birth cohorts, twin studies, repeated cross-sectional studies, accelerated longitudinal and household panel designs. Some were specifically designed to focus on mental health, while others have included mental health measures within a more multi-purpose context.