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Development and Validation of the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI): Assessing Children’s Well-Being and Assets across Multiple Contexts

Author

Listed:
  • Kimberly Schonert-Reichl
  • Martin Guhn
  • Anne Gadermann
  • Shelley Hymel
  • Lina Sweiss
  • Clyde Hertzman

Abstract

Few instruments provide reliable and valid data on child well-being and contextual assets during middle childhood, using children as informants. The authors developed a population-level, self-report measure of school-aged children’s well-being and assets—the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI)—and examined its reliability and validity. The MDI was designed to assess child well-being inside and outside of school on five dimensions: (1) Social and emotional development, (2) Connectedness to peers and to adults at school, at home, and in the neighborhood, (3) School experiences, (4) Physical health and well-being, and (5) Constructive use of time after school. This paper describes the theoretical framework, selection of items and scales for the survey, and four studies that were conducted to revise the MDI and examine its psychometric properties. The findings indicate a theoretically predicted factor structure, high internal consistency, and document the convergent and discriminant validity of the MDI scales. The discussion delineates a plan for future validation studies that address further validity questions, such as predictive validity, measurement invariance, and fairness/bias, and provides a brief outlook of how the MDI may be used by practitioners, educators, and decision makers in schools and communities to motivate and inform action in support children’s well-being. Copyright The Author(s) 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Kimberly Schonert-Reichl & Martin Guhn & Anne Gadermann & Shelley Hymel & Lina Sweiss & Clyde Hertzman, 2013. "Development and Validation of the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI): Assessing Children’s Well-Being and Assets across Multiple Contexts," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 345-369, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:114:y:2013:i:2:p:345-369
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-012-0149-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kenneth Land & Vicki Lamb & Hui Zheng, 2011. "How are the Kids Doing? How do We Know?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(3), pages 463-477, February.
    2. E. Huebner & Gary Alderman, 1993. "Convergent and discriminant validation of a children's life satisfaction scale: Its relationship to self- and teacher-reported psychological problems and school functioning," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 71-82, September.
    3. Martin Guhn & Bruno Zumbo & Magdalena Janus & Clyde Hertzman, 2011. "Validation Theory and Research for a Population-Level Measure of Children’s Development, Wellbeing, and School Readiness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 103(2), pages 183-191, September.
    4. Asher Ben-Arieh, 2005. "Where are the Children? Children’s Role in Measuring and Monitoring Their Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 74(3), pages 573-596, December.
    5. Anne Gadermann & Kimberly Schonert-Reichl & Bruno Zumbo, 2010. "Investigating Validity Evidence of the Satisfaction with Life Scale Adapted for Children," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 96(2), pages 229-247, April.
    6. Anne Gadermann & Martin Guhn & Bruno Zumbo, 2011. "Investigating the Substantive Aspect of Construct Validity for the Satisfaction with Life Scale Adapted for Children: A Focus on Cognitive Processes," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(1), pages 37-60, January.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Gao, Xin & Liu, Chunhui & Guo, Xiaolin & Liu, Juan & Qi, Bing & Luo, Liang, 2020. "Relationship between parental psychological control and children’s academic achievement in China: The role of children’s failure mindsets," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
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    5. T. Gregory & E. Dal Grande & M. Brushe & D. Engelhardt & S. Luddy & M. Guhn & A. Gadermann & K.A. Schonert-Reichl & S. Brinkman, 2021. "Associations between School Readiness and Student Wellbeing: A Six-Year Follow Up Study," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 369-390, February.
    6. Katie Breheny & Emma Frew & Iestyn Williams & Sandra Passmore & Joanna Coast, 2020. "Use of Economic Evidence When Prioritising Public Health Interventions in Schools: A Qualitative Study with School Staff," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Eirini Leriou & Andreas Kollias & Anna Anastasopoulou & Aristeidis Katranis, 2022. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-Being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round Three," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(4), pages 1295-1311, August.
    8. Tess Gregory & David Engelhardt & Anna Lewkowicz & Samuel Luddy & Martin Guhn & Anne Gadermann & Kimberly Schonert-Reichl & Sally Brinkman, 2019. "Validity of the Middle Years Development Instrument for Population Monitoring of Student Wellbeing in Australian School Children," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(3), pages 873-899, June.
    9. Oberle, Eva & Guhn, Martin & Gadermann, Anne M. & Thomson, Kimberly & Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A., 2018. "Positive mental health and supportive school environments: A population-level longitudinal study of dispositional optimism and school relationships in early adolescence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 154-161.
    10. Eirini Leriou & Aggeliki Kazani & Andreas Kollias & Christina Paraskevopoulou, 2021. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-Being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round One," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(1), pages 1-51, February.
    11. Eirini Leriou, 2023. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round Five," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(4), pages 1395-1451, August.
    12. Anne M. Gadermann & Martin Guhn & Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl & Shelley Hymel & Kimberly Thomson & Clyde Hertzman, 2016. "A Population-Based Study of Children’s Well-Being and Health: The Relative Importance of Social Relationships, Health-Related Activities, and Income," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1847-1872, October.
    13. Mats Beckmann & Katharina Knüttel & Sören Petermann & Till Stefes, 2022. "The Role of Spatial Context in Shaping Adolescents’ Peer Relationships," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(3), pages 262-272.
    14. Eirini Leriou, 2022. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round four," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(6), pages 1967-2011, December.
    15. Gerry Redmond & Jasmine Huynh & Vanessa Maurici, 2018. "How Big is the Gap in Wellbeing between Marginalised and Non-Marginalised Young People as They Approach Adolescence? Evidence from a National Survey of 9–14 Year Old Australians," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(2), pages 459-485, April.

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