Psychometric properties of the mental health scale from the OARS, which is also called the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES), were explored in a large (N = 2015) cross-sectional sample ranging in age from 26 to 86 years. Results indicated that the 15 SPES items represented three distinctive factors--alienation, somatic symptoms, and depression. Only on somatic symptoms was there a pattern of greater endorsement by older respondents. The results illustrate that global test scores can be misleading, especially when applied to different age groups.