Screening for psychological difficulties in young children in crisis: complementary cross-cultural validation

Abstract

As shown by its validation in diverse contexts, use in other populations may help improve the delivery of mental health care to children in crises and low-resource settings. Additional research on the design and delivery of intervention models for crises remains essential.

Culturally Sensitive PTSD Screening in Non-Western Youth: Reflections and Indications for Mental Health Practitioners

“…The entire world is subject to natural disasters, but individuals in the developing world, as well as historically and economically marginalized communities in developed countries, are most significantly impacted. Children constitute more than half the population in low-and middle-income countries (Marquer et al 2015), although the majority of research funds in those contexts are applied to adult studies (Bal and Jensen 2007). Additionally, studies link extreme poverty, violence and insecurity in developing countries, as well as limited availability of proper health care, to increased probability of traumatic life events (Familiar et al 2014).…”

“…Recent studies reveal methodological inconsistencies in determining criterion validity of assessment tools after adaptation for new cultural contexts. In most cases, psychometric comparison against a gold-standard clinical interview, closely tied to DSM or ICD diagnostic criteria and conducted by a local psychologist, is used to test the criterion validity of a screening instrument in a new cultural context (Marquer et al 2015).…”

“…When adapting a screening tool for an ethnically and culturally diverse group (Derluyn et al 2008) or for children in developing countries with educational levels below international standards (Murray et al 2011;Marquer et al 2015), it is common to adapt the level of language used in the tool as part of the translation process. In these cases, the most frequent authors of these changes are local informants-health professionals, community leaders and other culturally significant points of reference.…”

“…Nairobi in Kenya, separated geographically, but linked in socio-economics, violence and insecurity (Marquer et al 2015). The original assessment is condensed, translation conducted by informant groups and language adjusted for local education levels, with the resulting instrument demonstrating adequate concurrent validity across the two contexts.…”

“…Accurate screening of mental health problems in youth is essential to mitigate more complex problems in adulthood that place strain on individual wellbeing, as well as the wider functioning and economy of a country (Murray et al 2011). Unresolved needs in young children may negatively impact emotional, cognitive and physical development in ways that extend long beyond immediate and recognizable suffering (Marquer et al 2015). Traumatic experiences may hinder children's psychological development, including trust in others, sense of safety, self-esteem and self-efficacy, and interpersonal skills (Tsujii et al 2017).…”