TY - JOUR
T1 - Developing an African youth psychosocial assessment
T2 - An application of item response theory
AU - Betancourt, Theresa S.
AU - Yang, Frances
AU - Bolton, Paul
AU - Normand, Sharon Lise
PY - 2014/6
Y1 - 2014/6
N2 - 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 (θ) 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.
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 (θ) 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.
KW - Africa
KW - Children and adolescents
KW - Item response theory (IRT)
KW - Mental health assessment
KW - Psychometric measurement
KW - Uganda
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84901953047&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84901953047&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/mpr.1420
DO - 10.1002/mpr.1420
M3 - Article
C2 - 24478113
AN - SCOPUS:84901953047
SN - 1049-8931
VL - 23
SP - 142
EP - 160
JO - International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research
JF - International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research
IS - 2
ER -