Psychometric Properties of the Mental Health and Social Inadaptation Assessment in Iranian Adolescents

Abstract

Objective: The study was an attempt to investigate the psychometric properties of the mental health and social inadaptation measurement on Iranian adolescents. Materials and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in two separate phases. The sample of the first phase of the study included 604 students of Islamshahr city (academic year 1398-1399) who were selected by cluster sampling method.The second phase of the study was conducted on 44 adolescents who referred to medical centers in Tehran and were selected by convinent sampling method. Data collection questionnaires were the Mental health and social Inadaptation Assessment (MIA) and the Strengths and Dissiculties Questionnaire (SDQ). The data was analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Results of the study supported one and two factor structures for all of the psychopatology scales. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of scales ranged from 0.73 to 0.94 except for eating disorder and psychopathy scales (α = 0.57). The test-retest reliabiity of the majoritty of the scales were moderate to high (0.51< <0.81). However, the the psychopathy, eating disorder, and dysfunction related to eating scales showed low reliability (0.38< <0.48). Moreover, the correlation coefficient between the scales of the MIA and the scales of SDQ supported the the concurrent validity of the instrument (P <0.05). Conclusion: The MIA is promising to give valid and reliable results in screening adolescents' problems. However, the psychometric properties of the three scales of psychopathy (such as the original version), eating disorder, and eating-related dysfunction were not supported in this study.