Abstract
BackgroundLittle is known about reliability and validity of instruments measuring externalizing mental health problems in immigrant ethnic minority youths.AimsTo provide an overview of studies on measurement properties of instruments measuring these problems in immigrant ethnic minority youths, their methodological quality and results.MethodsA systematic review of the literature in MEDLINE, EMbase, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library was performed. Evaluation of methodological quality of studies found was done by using the ‘COSMIN-checklist’. Full text, original articles, published in English after 1990 were included. Articles had to concern the development or evaluation of the measurement properties of self-reported, parent-reported and/or teacher- or clinician-reported questionnaires assessing or screening externalizing mental health problems in immigrant ethnic minority youths. Specific results of analyses on (an) immigrant ethnic minority group had to be given.ResultsTwenty-nine studies evaluating 18 instruments met our criteria. Most studies concerned instruments with known validity in Western populations, tested mainly in African Americans. Considering methodological quality, inequivalences between ethnicities were found, self-reports seemed to perform better, and administration of an instrument influenced reliability and validity.ConclusionIt seems that the majority of instruments for assessing externalizing problems in immigrant ethnic minority youths is currently not sufficiently validated. Further evaluating existing instruments is crucial to accurately assess and interpreted externalizing problems in immigrant ethnic minority youths.
Highlights
Externalizing problems are relatively common in children and adolescents [1,2]
It seems that the majority of instruments for assessing externalizing problems in immigrant ethnic minority youths is currently not sufficiently validated
Some African American families have been in the US for many generations; others are recent immigrants from places such as Africa, the Caribbean or the West Indies [14]
Summary
Externalizing problems are relatively common in children and adolescents [1,2]. Externalizing mental health problems, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD), are particular problematic because their characteristics (e.g. aggression, lying, high levels of hyperactivity) affect the individual, and the family and the wider community. We use the term immigrant ethnic minorities to refer to those with a history of migration and are part of an ethnic of racial minority group in the country that they live in. This includes African Americans, they are considered to be distinct racial group rather than an ethnic minority group. We acknowledge the differences between racial and ethnic minority groups, for better readability we use the term immigrant ethnic minority youth throughout this paper. Little is known about reliability and validity of instruments measuring externalizing mental health problems in immigrant ethnic minority youths
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