Abstract
African American youth, especially those who reside in low resourced communities, are exposed to higher levels of exposure to community violence relative to their counterparts from other race/ethnic groups. However, appropriate measures for assessing psychological stress related to such exposures are underresearched in the extant literature for this population. The aim of the current study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) scale among African American youth exposed to community violence through classical test theory and item response theory methods. Internal reliability and construct validity were examined. Results indicated good internal reliability (α = .93). Construct validity of the BSI-18 was established through confirmatory factor analysis with the three-factor somatic, depression, and anxiety model. Construct validity was also determined with all items indicating adequate fit. Our study indicates good reliability and validity of the BSI-18 to assess psychological distress among African American youth exposed to community violence.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
