Child Self-report Measures Research Articles

Item Response Theory Analysis of the Big Five Questionnaire for Children-Short Form (BFC-SF): A Self-Report Measure of Personality in Children Aged 11-12 Years.

Prior investigations indicate that the five core personality dimensions (the "Big Five") are measurable by middle childhood. The aim of this research was to examine the psychometric properties of a short-form self-report measure of the Big Five personality dimensions in children that would be suitable for administration online in large population-based studies. Twenty-five questionnaire items in English, derived from the 65-item Big Five Questionnaire for Children in Italian (Barbaranelli, Caprara, Rabasca, & Pastorelli, 2003), were completed online by 27,415 Australian children in Year 6 (mean age 11.92 years). An item response theory approach evaluated the psychometric properties and resolved a 20-item short-form questionnaire. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the Big Five structure. Construct validity was demonstrated via correlations between Big Five scores and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales (Goodman, 2001). The 20 items provide a brief, reliable, and valid child self-report measure of the Big Five personality dimensions.

The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scales (RCADS): Psychometric Evaluation in Children Evaluated for ADHD.

Co-occurring internalizing symptoms are common and important to assess in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One frequently used child self-report measure of internalizing symptoms is the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scales (RCADS), yet the psychometric properties of the RCADS remain unexamined in children referred for ADHD specifically. The present study evaluated the RCADS in 117 children (ages 8-12; 66% male) evaluated for suspected ADHD at an ADHD specialty clinic (83% met criteria for ADHD). In addition to the RCADS, children completed measures of social anxiety and depression. Parents completed the RCADS-Parent Version (RCADS-P) in addition to other measures of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Children and parents both completed a measure of aggression. Factor structure, reliability, and convergent/discriminant validity of the RCADS were examined. Results supported the six-factor structure of the child-report RCADS (Separation Anxiety, Social Phobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder). The RCADS demonstrated adequate reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity with other child ratings. The total anxiety score on the RCADS also demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity with parent measures, though the depression score on the RCADS did not. Findings provide preliminary psychometric support for the RCADS in children referred for ADHD.

A preliminary investigation of reaction time variability in relation to social functioning in children evaluated for ADHD

ABSTRACTReaction time variability (RTV) is a ubiquitous phenomenon in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Few studies have examined RTV in relation to functional outcomes such as social impairment in children with ADHD. In this exploratory study, we investigated whether RTV is associated with social functioning in children at risk for ADHD. Specifically, we explored the association between RTV (tau derived from correct go trials of a Stop-Signal task) and social functioning in 198 children ages 7–12 years referred for an ADHD evaluation. Social functioning measures included child and/or parent ratings of social competence, aggression, social problems, and impairment in relationships. In regression analyses that also included Oppositional Defiant Disorder symptoms and sex, higher RTV was significantly associated with lower ratings of social competence, and higher proactive/reactive aggression ratings on the child self-report measures. RTV was not significantly associated with parent report of social functioning or relationship impairment. This study provides preliminary evidence that RTV may be associated with social functioning in children at risk for ADHD. We propose that lapses of attention affecting cognitive control may also negatively impact social information processing thereby affecting social functioning. Replication is warranted and longitudinal studies are needed to investigate whether RTV predicts social dysfunction in ADHD.

The Satisfaction with Life Scale adapted for Children: Measurement invariance across gender and over time.

This paper examined measurement invariance (MI), both across gender and over time, of the Satisfaction With Life Scale adapted for Children (SWLS-C). Adapted from the adult SWLS, the SWLS-C is a self-report measure for children and adolescents to assess their life satisfaction. The sample comprised elementary school students in British Columbia, Canada (n = 4,026) who responded to the SWLS-C in Grade 4 (M(age) = 9.3, SD = 0.6; 48.9% girls) and approximately 3 years later in Grade 7. We examined MI regarding gender, time, and both gender and time (i.e., interactional invariance) using Clustered Repeated Measures Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis with a mean- and variance-adjusted weighted least squares (WLSMV) estimation. Residual invariance by gender was supported at Grades 4 and 7; scalar invariance was supported longitudinally for each gender and overall. In the "interactional" model, including gender and time, analyses indicated scalar MI, but not residual MI. Analyses of latent factor means indicated that SWLS-C scores significantly decreased for both girls and boys from Grade 4 to Grade 7. The decrease was more pronounced for girls, but gender differences at either age were not significant. The pattern of observed mean scores differed, as it indicated no significant decrease for boys' SWLS-C scores, but significant gender differences at both time points. However, given the lack of residual invariance, comparisons of observed SWLS-C mean scores across gender and over time may be compromised. The different results for latent and observed mean SWLS-C scores highlight the importance of routinely conducting MI analyses for group comparisons. (PsycINFO Database Record

S30. UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF CHILDHOOD SUSPICIOUSNESS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

BackgroundParanoia exists on a continuum of severity in adult patient populations and more recently it has been found to exist in children and adolescents in the general population. Childhood paranoia, assessed by the Social Mistrust Scale (SMS), has been found to be related to both internalising and externalising problem behaviours (Wong, Freeman & Hughes, 2014); however, the nature of why children’s suspicions are related to psychosocial functioning remains unexamined. The current qualitative study addresses this gap by following up the original 2014 sample to examining the nature of children’s suspicions using thematic analysis. By giving voice to children and adolescents, I will discuss: 1) children’s definition of trust and mistrust more broadly 2) the common themes generated from interview questions about children’s suspicions in relation to baseline self-reported levels of suspiciousness on the Social Mistrust Scale (SMS) and 3) other developmental psychosocial factors contributing to childhood suspicions. This study is also the first study to address whether or not children’s suspicions are valid, or grounded in reality, using interviewer ratings and child self-report measures of mistrust.Methods118 trusting and persistently mistrustful children from the UK (n=40) and Hong Kong (n=78) were matched and followed-up at 6 and 12 months based on their self-reported levels of suspiciousness on the Social Mistrust Scale. Correlations and kappas were conducted to assess the stability and convergent validity between assessments. Thematic analysis was conducted on 95 (80%) randomly selected semi-structured interviews about mistrust. The coding scheme generated from this analysis was further tested on the remaining transcripts for discriminant validity.ResultsChildren’s definition of trust was consistent with existing developmental literature. Commonly discussed topics related to mistrust, particularly school mistrust, included (i) experiences of bullying, concerns with popularity and the consequences of being targeted, (ii) emotional worries, anxieties and feelings of hostility, spying, and teasing, and (iii) coping mechanisms that maintained children’s avoidant behaviours. Consistent with the threat anticipation cognitive model of delusions (Freeman et al., 2007), persistently mistrustful children reported frequent peer victimization and hostile attributional bias. Instances of unfounded paranoia were rare but not absent. There was moderate convergent validity between interviewer ratings and the SMS (k=.49, p<.001). The coding scheme discriminated trusting and mistrustful children accurately.DiscussionInterviews with trusting and persistently mistrustful children are necessary in verifying unfounded childhood suspicions. Complementing self-report measures of suspiciousness, thematic codes from this study have the potential to screen for persistent and strongly held suspicions that may develop into delusions later in life.

Validity and reliability of a Turkish pediatric oral health-related quality of life measure.

PurposeThis study aimed to develop Turkish measures for Pediatric Oral Health-related Quality of Life (POQL) and evaluate their reliability and validity for use in Turkish children aged 8–14 years (Child Self-Report measure; CSR) and their caregivers (Parent Report-on-Child measure; PRC).Materials and methodsThe English POQL was translated into Turkish, adapted for the Turkish culture, and tested in 149 children and their caregivers attending the Çukurova University Pediatric Dentistry clinics to assess the reliability, internal consistency, and discriminant and convergent validity of the Turkish version.ResultsThe internal consistency of the Turkish POQL evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha was 0.905 for CSR and 0.887 for PRC. To determine the test–retest reliability, the Turkish POQL was administered to a sub-sample (n=16) a second time 2 weeks after the first survey administration. Intraclass correlation coefficient values of the individual items were 0.895 for CSR and 0.992 for PRC. For total scores, there was a significant difference based on clinical caries status and perceived oral health in both CSR and PRC.ConclusionThe Turkish POQL is a valid and reliable measure of the perceived impact of oral conditions on children’s lives.

Anxiety and Depression During Childhood and Adolescence: Testing Theoretical Models of Continuity and Discontinuity.

The present study sought to clarify the trajectory (i.e., continuous vs. discontinuous) and expression (i.e., homotypic vs. heterotypic) of anxiety and depressive symptoms across childhood and adolescence. We utilized a state-of-the-science analytic approach to simultaneously test theoretical models that describe the development of internalizing symptoms in youth. In a sample of 636 children (53% female; M age = 7.04; SD age = 0.35) self-report measures of anxiety and depression were completed annually by youth through their freshman year of high school. For both anxiety and depression, a piecewise growth curve model provided the best fit for the data, with symptoms decreasing until age 12 (the "developmental knot") and then increasing into early adolescence. The trajectory of anxiety symptoms was best described by a discontinuous homotypic pattern in which childhood anxiety predicted adolescent anxiety. For depression, two distinct pathways were discovered: A discontinuous homotypic pathway in which childhood depression predicted adolescent depression and a discontinuous heterotypic pathway in which childhood anxiety predicted adolescent depression. Analytical, methodological, and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Children’s protective strategies in the context of exposure to domestic violence

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to explore children’s accounts of exposure to domestic violence and the strategies they used to protect themselves from such adversity. Convenience sampling included youth (N = 29), ages 7–16, who received mental health services at a rural victim-service provider. Child self-report measures were used to assess exposure and protective strategies. Children were most often exposed to verbal and physical abuse of mother, inter-parental disagreements, and the abuser’s destruction of property. Participants used a variety of strategies to escape, understand, safety plan, protect, and intervene among these types of abuse.

Roles of Medication Responsibility, Executive and Adaptive Functioning in Adherence for Children and Adolescents With Perinatally Acquired HIV.

Medication adherence is a critical but challenging developmental task for children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV). Understanding how medication responsibility, executive functions (EFs) and adaptive functioning (AF) influence adherence may help prepare adolescents for transition to adulthood. Participants included PHIV children and adolescents 7-16 years of age enrolled in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study Adolescent Master Protocol, who were prescribed antiretroviral medications. Measures included caregiver report and child self-report measures of adherence, medication responsibility and EF, caregiver report of child AF, examiner-administered tests of EF and processing speed and demographic and health characteristics. Two hundred fifty-six participants with PHIV (mean age: 12 years old) were 51% female, 80% black and 79% non-Hispanic. Per 7-day recall, 72% were adherent (no missed doses). Children/adolescents self-reported that 22% had sole and 55% had shared medication responsibility. Adjusted logistic models revealed significantly higher odds of adherence with sole caregiver responsibility for medication [odds ratio (OR): 4.10, confidence interval (CI): 1.43-11.8, P = 0.009], child nadir CD4% <15% (OR: 2.26, CI: 1.15-4.43, P = 0.018), better self-reported behavioral regulation (OR: 0.65, CI: 0.44-0.96, P = 0.029) and slower processing speed (OR: 0.54, CI: 0.38-0.77, P < 0.001), adjusting for demographic variables (age, race and caregiver education). Among children and adolescents with PHIV, continued caregiver medication management, especially during adolescence, is essential. Although global EF and AF were not significantly associated with adherence, behavioral regulation was. Given that EF and AF develop throughout adolescence, their relationships to adherence should be evaluated longitudinally, especially as youth transition to adulthood and caregiver responsibility diminishes.

Self-Blame and Avoidance Coping as Predictors of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms Among Sexually Abused Children

Abstract BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse is clearly associated with posttrau-matic stress symptoms (PTSS). Prior studies have identified self-blame and coping as important predictors of PTSS among adult survivors of sexual assault. However, few studies have explored the potential impact of self-blame and avoidance coping in influencing PTSS in children who have disclosed sexual abuse. OBJECTIVES: This study attempted to test the contribution of self-blame and avoidance coping to the prediction of PTSS among sexually abused children. The severity of the abuse and child’s gender were also examined. DESIGN/METHODS: The sample consisted of 477 sexually abused children (319 girls and 128 boys), aged 6 to 12. Self-blame and PTSS were evaluated by the Children’s Impact of Traumatic Events Scale II. A brief version of the Self-Report Coping Scale was used to assess children’s coping avoidance. These questionnaires were child self-report measures. The severity of the abuse was categorized as (1) less severe (physical contact over clothing), (2) severe (physical contact under clothing without penetration or force) and (3) more severe (physical contact with penetration or attempted penetration). Linear regression analysis was used to test the contribution of self-blame and avoidance coping to the prediction of PTSS. First, the child’s gender and the severity of the abuse were entered, and secondly, self-blame and avoidance coping. RESULTS: A total of 10.7% of the sample reported less severe sexual abuse, 27.7% reported severe sexual abuse and 61.6% reported more severe abuse. The model which only included child’s gender and severity of the abuse explained 3.8% of the variance (F=9.04, p&amp;lt;0.001) in PTSS. Adding self-blame and avoidance coping, the proportion of explained variance increased to 35.1% (F=56.62%, p&amp;lt;0.001). Being a girl (beta=0.15, p&amp;lt;0.001), reporting high levels of self-blame (beta=0.26, p&amp;lt;0.001) and using avoidance coping (beta=0.43, p&amp;lt;0.001) were predictors of PTSS. The severity of the abuse was significant into the first model (beta=0.14, p=0.004), but not into the final one (beta=0.08, p=0.057). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that sense of self-blame and using avoidance coping are important targets for clinical intervention with sexually abused children, because these factors contribute to the prediction of PTSS among this vulnerable population.

The Child Concentration Inventory (CCI): Initial validation of a child self-report measure of sluggish cognitive tempo.

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is characterized by excessive daydreaming, mental confusion, slowness, and low motivation. Several teacher- and parent-report measures of SCT have recently been developed but a child self-report measure of SCT does not yet exist despite clear links between SCT and internalizing psychopathology (for which self-report is often desired). This study examined the initial reliability and validity of the Child Concentration Inventory (CCI), a child self-report measure of SCT symptoms, in a school-based sample of 124 children (ages 8-13; 55% female). Children completed the CCI and measures of academic/social functioning, emotion regulation, and self-esteem. Teachers completed measures of psychopathology symptoms (including SCT) and academic/social functioning. Although exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) supported a 3-factor model of the CCI (consisting of slow, sleepy, and daydreamer scales closely resembling the factor structure of the parent-report version of this measure), bifactor modeling and omega reliability indices indicated that the CCI is best conceptualized as unidimensional. CCI scores were significantly correlated with teacher-rated SCT and were statistically distinct from teacher-rated ADHD and child-rated anxiety/depression. After controlling for sex, grade, and other psychopathology symptoms, the CCI total score was significantly associated with poorer child-reported academic/social functioning and self-worth in addition to increased loneliness and emotion dysregulation. Child ratings on the CCI were moderately to strongly correlated with poorer teacher-rated academic/social functioning but these associations were reduced to nonsignificance after controlling for demographics and other psychopathology symptoms. Findings provide preliminary support for the CCI, and future directions include replication with adolescents and clinical samples in order to further examine the CCI's factor structure, reliability, validity, and clinical utility.

Equivalence of Paper and Computer Formats of a Child Self-Report Mental Health Measure

Research examining the equivalence of paper and computer-based adult mental health measures has found mixed results, and this issue has not been explored for child self-report measures. Results from adult studies cannot be generalized to young people, especially taking into consideration research indicating that current generations are more comfortable disclosing sensitive information on computer-based media. This paper investigates the psychometric equivalence of the paper (N = 777) and computer (N = 777) formats of a child and adolescent self-report mental health measure, “Me and My School” (M&amp;MS), completed by school pupils aged 8–14 years. Common practice in equivalence testing has been to use scale-level analysis and factor structure equivalence; the limitation being inability to assess format-based differences at the item-level. We conduct differential item functioning (DIF) analysis to assess whether item-response probability is different based on survey format. Results demonstrate that young people completing the M&amp;MS on paper have lower scale-level overall scores. However, DIF analyses indicate that this difference is not explained by item-level probabilities. The results suggest that survey format equivalence testing of other widely used child and adolescent mental health measures may be necessary before data from different formats are directly compared or combined.

Supplemental Material for The Child Concentration Inventory (CCI): Initial Validation of a Child Self-Report Measure of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

Supplemental Material for The Child Concentration Inventory (CCI): Initial Validation of a Child Self-Report Measure of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

Who reports it best? A comparison between parent-report, self-report, and the real life social behaviors of adults with Williams syndrome.

Given the reliance on self-report in studies of adults with intellectual disabilities, this study examined individual vs. parental reports concerning the social approach behaviors of adults with Williams syndrome (WS) across a hypothetical and a live behavioral setting. Individuals with WS (N = 30) were asked whether they would approach strangers in two hypothetical, laboratory tasks (yes/no questionnaire vs. judging facial stimuli of individuals with different emotional expressions). Similarly, their parents also responded to a rating scale of their child's social approach behavior toward strangers displaying various emotions. Then, in a community setting, behavioral coders recorded actual social approaches of individuals with WS toward strangers. Although self-report ratings were consistent across measures, these measures did not correspond to the individuals' actual behaviors during the community observations. Conversely, parental reports did not correspond to their child's self-report measures, but parents did more accurately predict their child's real-life social approach behaviors. Implications are discussed for both research and practice.

Feasibility of two modes of treatment delivery for child anxiety in primary care

In this study, we examine the feasibility of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for children with anxiety in primary care, using two modes of treatment delivery. A total of 48 parents and youth (8–13) with anxiety disorders were randomly assigned to receive 10-sessions of CBT either delivered by a child anxiety specialist in the primary care clinic or implemented by the parent with therapist support by telephone (i.e., face-to-face or therapist-supported bibliotherapy). Feasibility outcomes including satisfaction, barriers to treatment participation, safety, and dropout were assessed. Independent evaluators, blind to treatment condition, administered the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children (ADIS) and the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I) at baseline, post-treatment and 3-month follow-up; clinical self-report questionnaires were also administered. Findings revealed high satisfaction, low endorsement of barriers, low drop out rates, and no adverse events across the two modalities. According to the CGI-I, 58.3%–75% of participants were considered responders (i.e., much or very much improved) at the various time points. Similar patterns were found for remission from “primary anxiety disorder” and “all anxiety disorders” as defined by the ADIS. Clinically significant improvement was seen on the various parent and child self-report measures of anxiety. Findings suggest that both therapy modalities are feasible and associated with significant treatment gains in the primary care setting. (clinicaltrials.gov unique identifier: NCT00769925).

Measurement Issues: Review of four patient reported outcome measures: SDQ, RCADS, C/ORS and GBO - their strengths and limitations for clinical use and service evaluation.

There is an international drive for routine use of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) across all health services including in relation to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). A number of reviews have summarized the validity and reliability of well-being and mental health measures for children but there are fewer attempts to consider utility for routine use. This review considers four child self-report measures: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS), (Child) Outcomes Rating Scale (C/ORS) and Goals Based Outcomes (GBOs). It explores the strengths and limitations of each and considers how they can be used to support both clinical practice and service evaluation. There is evidence for the clinical utility of RCADS, C/ORS and GBOs, although the utility of the SDQ as a feedback measure remains unclear. For service evaluation, the SDQ has the greatest evidence for norms making it useful for comparison and there is evidence that the RCADS may be the most sensitive to change of the measures reviewed; C/ORS has issues around ceiling effect, data error and data manipulation. More research is required around GBOs before their use for service evaluation can be determined. In summary, these different measures may be viewed as complementary tools and determining the best way to make use of them severally and individually in clinical and community settings is a current focus for child mental health practitioners.

Patient-reported quality of life outcomes for children with serious congenital heart defects

ObjectiveTo compare patient-reported, health-related quality of life (QoL) for children with serious congenital heart defects (CHDs) and unaffected classmates and to investigate the demographic and clinical factors influencing QoL.DesignRetrospective cohort...

Measuring mental health and wellbeing outcomes for children and adolescents to inform practice and policy: a review of child self-report measures.

There is a growing appetite for mental health and wellbeing outcome measures that can inform clinical practice at individual and service levels, including use for local and national benchmarking. Despite a varied literature on child mental health and wellbeing outcome measures that focus on psychometric properties alone, no reviews exist that appraise the availability of psychometric evidence and suitability for use in routine practice in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) including key implementation issues. This paper aimed to present the findings of the first review that evaluates existing broadband measures of mental health and wellbeing outcomes in terms of these criteria. The following steps were implemented in order to select measures suitable for use in routine practice: literature database searches, consultation with stakeholders, application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, secondary searches and filtering. Subsequently, detailed reviews of the retained measures’ psychometric properties and implementation features were carried out. 11 measures were identified as having potential for use in routine practice and meeting most of the key criteria: 1) Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, 2) Beck Youth Inventories, 3) Behavior Assessment System for Children, 4) Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale, 5) Child Health Questionnaire, 6) Child Symptom Inventories, 7) Health of the National Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents, 8) Kidscreen, 9) Pediatric Symptom Checklist, 10) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, 11) Youth Outcome Questionnaire. However, all existing measures identified had limitations as well as strengths. Furthermore, none had sufficient psychometric evidence available to demonstrate that they could reliably measure both severity and change over time in key groups. The review suggests a way of rigorously evaluating the growing number of broadband self-report mental health outcome measures against standards of feasibility and psychometric credibility in relation to use for practice and policy.

Intolerance of Uncertainty as a Framework for Understanding Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Anxiety is a problem for many children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). There is a paucity of models of the cognitive processes underlying this. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has utility in explaining anxiety in neurotypical populations but has only recently received attention in ASD. We modelled the relationship between anxiety and IU in ASD and a typically developing comparison group, using parent and child self-report measures. Results confirmed significant relationships between IU and anxiety in children with ASD which appears to function similarly in children with and without ASD. Results were consistent with a causal model suggesting that IU mediates the relationship between ASD and anxiety. The findings confirm IU as a relevant construct in ASD.

Adaptation and cognitive testing of physical activity measures for use with young, school-aged children and their parents

Increasing physical activity is one way to address the public health concern of childhood obesity. Physical activity measures for use with young, school-aged children are limited. This study adapted two existing activity measures for young children, specifically self-efficacy and 7-day recall of physical activity. Through expert review and cognitive testing, the scales were adapted for use with young, school-aged children (ages 7-9). This article describes how the measures were adapted to insure comprehension of the child self-report measures. Reliability analyses provide support for their use in this population [Cronbach's alpha = 0.76 for the self-efficacy scale; moderate correlation between parent report and child report of child physical activity over the past week (rho = 0.52, P < 0.01]. Suggestions are offered for researchers interested in using similar methods when designing and adapting physical activity measures for new populations.