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Validity and Reliability of a Brief Symptom Checklist to Measure Psychological Health in School-Aged Children

Author

Listed:
  • Genevieve Gariepy

    (McGill University)

  • Britt McKinnon

    (McGill University)

  • Mariane Sentenac

    (McGill University)

  • Frank J. Elgar

    (McGill University
    McGill University)

Abstract

The psychological health of children is a global health concern. The international Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study has surveyed the psychological health of youths in over 40 countries. The HBSC questionnaire includes a brief symptom checklist of psychological complaints, but it has not yet been validated. This study evaluated the construct validity of the psychological health self-report tool used in the HBSC study. We used data from 26,078 participants in the 2010 Canadian HBSC survey. The core HBSC questionnaire measured common psychosomatic complaints using the HBSC symptom checklist (HBSC-SCL). The Canadian survey included an additional series of questions that measure four dimensions of mental health (emotional problems, emotional well-being, behavioral problems, prosocial behavior). We used these items to evaluate the construct validity of psychological symptoms in the HBSC-SCL. We assessed internal construct validity using Cronbach’s alpha and external construct validity using factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Factor analysis showed that the HBSC-SCL measures two factors, psychological and somatic complaints. Psychological complaints included feeling low/depressed, irritable/bad tempered, nervous, and difficulties sleeping. Internal validity of the psychological subscale was good (α = 0.78). This 4-item subscale demonstrated convergent validity with indicators for emotional problems (correlation (r) = −0.79, p

Suggested Citation

  • Genevieve Gariepy & Britt McKinnon & Mariane Sentenac & Frank J. Elgar, 2016. "Validity and Reliability of a Brief Symptom Checklist to Measure Psychological Health in School-Aged Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(2), pages 471-484, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:9:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s12187-015-9326-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-015-9326-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mogens Damsgaard & Bjørn Holstein & Vibeke Koushede & Katrine Madsen & Charlotte Meilstrup & Malene Nelausen & Line Nielsen & Signe Rayce, 2014. "Close relations to parents and emotional symptoms among adolescents: beyond socio-economic impact?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 59(5), pages 721-726, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yekaterina Chzhen & Zlata Bruckauf & Emilia Toczydlowska & Frank J. Elgar & Concepcion Moreno-Maldonado & Gonneke W.J.M. Stevens & Dagmar Sigmundová & Geneviève Gariépy, 2018. "Multidimensional Poverty Among Adolescents in 38 Countries: Evidence from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2013/14 Study," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(3), pages 729-753, June.
    2. Michal Molcho & Aoife Gavin & Devon Goodwin, 2021. "Levels of Physical Activity and Mental Health in Adolescents in Ireland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-12, February.
    3. Ann Vandendriessche & Ariane Ghekiere & Jelle Van Cauwenberg & Bart De Clercq & Karlien Dhondt & Ann DeSmet & Jorma Tynjälä & Maïté Verloigne & Benedicte Deforche, 2019. "Does Sleep Mediate the Association between School Pressure, Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Psychological Symptoms in Early Adolescents? A 12-Country Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Giulia Casu & Valentina Hlebec & Licia Boccaletti & Irena Bolko & Alessandra Manattini & Elizabeth Hanson, 2021. "Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being among Adolescent Young Carers in Europe: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-23, February.
    5. Ji Hyeon Lee, 2020. "Neighborhood Collective Efficacy and children’s Mental Health Problems in South Korea: a Multilevel Analysis," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(1), pages 19-31, February.
    6. Dominic Richardson & Zlata Bruckauf & Emilia Toczydlowska & Yekaterina Chzhen, 2017. "Comparing Child-focused SDGs in High-income Countries: Indicator development and overview," Papers inwopa902, Innocenti Working Papers.

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