International Health
Volume 7 Issue 6 November 2015
http://inthealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

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Screening for psychological difficulties in young children in crisis: complementary cross-cultural validation
Caroline Marquer, Caroline Barry, Yoram Mouchenik, Douma M. Djibo, Mahamane L. Manzo,
Elena Maria Trujillo Maza, Sandra Githaiga, German Casas, Béatrice W. Kirubi, Héloïse Marichez,
Bruno Falissard, Marie-Rose Moro, and Rebecca F. Grais
Int. Health (2015) 7 (6): 438-446 doi:10.1093/inthealth/ihv006
Abstract
Background Detection of children’s psychological difficulties in crises and low resource settings is challenged by the lack of a validated, rapid and simple tool. We present the results of two confirmatory validations of the Psychological Screening for Young Children aged 3 to 6 years (PSYCa 3–6) scale.
Methods We performed cross-cultural validations, assessing the performance of the scale in different contexts. These were conducted in Mathare, Nairobi, Kenya and Buenaventura, Colombia between December 2009 and February 2012. External validity was assessed comparing the PSYCa 3–6 against a clinical interview and the Clinical Global Impression Severity scale (CGI).
Results A total of 160 mothers or caregivers of children 3 to 6 years old in Mathare and 148 in Buenaventura were included in the study. Both demonstrated good concurrent validity (Buenaventura ρ=0.49, p<0.0001; Mathare ρ=0.41, p<0.0001). Inter-rater reliability was found to be acceptable in Buenaventura (intraclass correlation [ICC]=0.69 [0.4–0.84]) and high in Mathare (0.87 [0.75–0.94]).
Conclusions 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.