InterRAI Child and Youth Mental Health-Screener (ChYMH-S): A Psychometric Evaluation and Validation Study
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
InterRAI Child and Youth Mental Health‑Screener (ChYMH‑S): A Psychometric Evaluation and Validation Study Shannon L. Stewart1 · Sarah E. Babcock2
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Mental health concerns among children are pervasive, with one in five in North America experiencing a mental health issue. Unfortunately, only about a quarter will receive the support they need. interRAI is an organization of expert researchers and clinicians who develop integrated assessment systems to improve evaluation for vulnerable populations. The interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Screener (ChYMH-S) is a brief screener that provides an initial assessment for early identification, triaging, and prioritization of services. This study assesses the psychometric properties of the ChYMH-S. Data from children aged 4–18 years across Ontario mental health agencies were obtained. The screener demonstrated strong inter-item reliability on all measured scales and good convergent validity with the Behaviour Assessment System for Children, with all hypothesized comparisons demonstrating positive, significant correlations. Overall, results provide initial support for the reliability and convergent validity of the ChYMH-S in detecting mental health concerns in child populations. Keywords interRAI · ChYMH-S · Mental health · Screening · Assessment
Introduction Mental health and psychiatric disorders among children and youth (hereafter referred to as children) are a significant global health concern, as one out of every five children in North America will experience a mental health concern such as depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or conduct problems [1, 2]. However, only an alarming 25% of these children will receive the proper treatment and support needed for these disorders [3]. Further, disturbing statistics reveal suicide to be the second highest cause of death in adolescents and young adults 15–25 years of age, second only to accidents in the industrialized world [4]. It is clear therefore that childhood mental healthcare should be a top priority. Moreover, mental health issues are often present and persistent across the life course of an individual; indeed, 50–70% of adult mental health issues * Sarah E. Babcock [email protected] 1
Faculty of Education, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Department of Psychology, Social Sciences Centre, Western University, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario N6G 2V4, Canada
2
have their onset in childhood [5]. The research suggests that when the onset of mental health disorders is earlier than 25 years of age, there is a frequent pattern of remission and relapse over the life span [6]. This illustrates the importance of identifying mental health challenges as early as possible to implement individualized treatment plans that can be utilized, and as needed, adapted throughout the child’s life. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) suggests identifying at-risk children and intervening as so
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