Assessment of Functional Impairment in Spanish Children

Abstract

Le pressent travaux vérifie l'applicabilité et la validité du CAFAS, un instrument pour évaluer l'incapacité fonctionnel dans une population espagnole. L'échantillon est formé par 441 malades ambulatoires psychiatriques d'entre 8 et 17 années et leurs parents, et aussi par un échantillon de 74 malades ambulatoires pédiatriques. On a applique différents instruments pour évaluer l'incapacité fonctionnel, la psychopathologie, et autres variables psychologiques. La fiabilité intra observateur varie entre modérée et bonne. L'accord entre les ponctuations obtenues avec l'information des parents et des infants varie entre faible et modérée. Les corrélations avec autres mesures d'incapacité et du fonctionnement sont significatives mais modérée. Les ponctuations CAFAS différencient significativement les enfants avec et sans psychopathologie. Les résultats obtenus avalisent l'utilisation du CAFAS pour les études en psychopathologie, en incapacité fonctionnel et pour planifier interventions et services de santé mental.The present work tests the applicability and validity of the CAFAS, an instrument for assessing functional impairment, in the Spanish population. The sample included 441 psychiatric outpatients from 8 to 17 years old and their parents, and a pediatric group of 74 outpatients. Different instruments for assessing functional impairment, psychopathology, and other related variables were used. Interrater reliability ranged from moderate to very good. Weak-to-moderate agreement between CAFAS scores based on information from parents and children was obtained. Correlations with other measures of impairment and functioning were moderate. CAFAS scores differentiated significantly between children with and without psychopathology. These results permit the use of the instrument for studies on psychopathology and functional impairment, and for planning intervention and mental health services.

A comparison of pure and comorbid CD/ODD and depression

“…The higher score resulting from parents and children was used. Good internal consistency and concurrent validity have been demonstrated in the Spanish population (Ezpeleta et al, in press).…”

“…The scale can be used with 7‐ to 17‐year‐olds. The psychometric properties of the instrument have been extensively studied by its author (Hodges, 1999) and in the Spanish population (Ezpeleta, Granero, de la Osa, Domènech, & Bonillo, in press).…”

Brief mental health screening questionnaire for children and adolescents in primary care settings

“…It is well established that parents are not the best informants for internalizing problems affecting females in a more prevalent way. The age of 13 years is the most problematic in detecting mental health problems (11,24). This may be concurrent with the fact that there is less voluntary attendance by adolescents of primary care centers, as there is no health-care obligation to do so, at least not in Spain; additionally, it is very difficult to detect internalizing problems at this age, especially in girls.…”

“…Data for the Spanish population shows that the perception of problems and the final decision to consult the Mental Health System depend on such aspects as functional impairment and the interference of certain behaviors in everyday family life (22). Functional-impairment assessment has important implications on treatment decision and service planning (23,24).…”

Anxiety Syndromes and Their Correlates in Children and Adolescents: A Two-Year- Follow-Up Study at Primary Health Care in Mexico City

“…Measures of functional impairment besides being an aid in case definitions in epidemiological studies and in nosology are useful for studies of treatment effectiveness, planning services, service eligibility determination, evaluating and planning of programs, but, mainly, they are used as outcome indicators (Ezpeleta et al, 2006).…”