TY - JOUR T1 - Developing an African youth psychosocial assessment: an application of item response theory JF - Int J Methods Psychiatr Res Y1 - 2014 A1 - Betancourt, T. S. A1 - Yang, F. A1 - Bolton, P. A1 - Normand, S. L. KW - *Models, Theoretical KW - Adolescent KW - Adolescent Behavior/*psychology KW - Adolescent Development/*physiology KW - Africa KW - children and adolescents KW - Factor Analysis, Statistical KW - Female KW - Humans KW - item response theory (IRT) KW - Male KW - mental health assessment KW - psychometric measurement KW - Psychometrics/*methods KW - Surveys and Questionnaires KW - Uganda AB - This study aimed to refine a dimensional scale for measuring psychosocial adjustment in African youth using item response theory (IRT). A 60-item scale derived from qualitative data was administered to 667 war-affected adolescents (55% female). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) determined the dimensionality of items based on goodness-of-fit indices. Items with loadings less than 0.4 were dropped. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm the scale's dimensionality found under the EFA. Item discrimination and difficulty were estimated using a graded response model for each subscale using weighted least squares means and variances. Predictive validity was examined through correlations between IRT scores (theta) for each subscale and ratings of functional impairment. All models were assessed using goodness-of-fit and comparative fit indices. Fisher's Information curves examined item precision at different underlying ranges of each trait. Original scale items were optimized and reconfigured into an empirically-robust 41-item scale, the African Youth Psychosocial Assessment (AYPA). Refined subscales assess internalizing and externalizing problems, prosocial attitudes/behaviors and somatic complaints without medical cause. The AYPA is a refined dimensional assessment of emotional and behavioral problems in African youth with good psychometric properties. Validation studies in other cultures are recommended. VL - 23 SN - 1557-0657 (Electronic)
1049-8931 (Linking) N1 - Betancourt, Theresa S
Yang, Frances
Bolton, Paul
Normand, Sharon-Lise
eng
K01 MH077246/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/
P60 MD002261/MD/NIMHD NIH HHS/
1K01MH077246-01A2/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
2014/01/31 06:00
Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2014 Jun;23(2):142-60. doi: 10.1002/mpr.1420. Epub 2014 Jan 30. U2 - 4098666 ER -