Title
An efficient and valid test for the identification of children with emotional and behavioral problems: Abstract
Author
Theunissen, M.H.C.
Publication year
2019
Abstract
Background: Community pediatric services typically use short questionnaires to identify children with emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) . The psychometric properties of such questionnaires are mostly not sufficient for an accurate distinction between children with and without problems. We aimed to assess whether a short Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT) can overcome the weaknesses of short written questionnaires to identify children with EBP. Method: We used a dataset obtained from parents of Dutch children aged 7 to 12 years invited for a routine health examination by Preventive Child Healthcare with 205 items on behavioral and emotional problems (n = 2,041,response 84%). In a random subsample (n=1,650) we determined which items met the requirements of an Item Response Theory (IRT) model to a sufficient degree. We used those items to calculate the item parameters necessary for a CAT and defined a cut-off point to identify EBP, for the resulting latent score . We determined the validity and efficiency of this CAT using simulation techniques in the remaining subsample (n=391). A clinical score on the Child Behavior Checklist was used as criterion. Results: The median number of items needed to identify EBP was 14. Sensitivity and specificity of general EBP with CBCL as a criterion were 0.75 and 0.92, respectively. High sensitivity and specificity indices were found for the subscale internalizing problems both 0.92 for externalizing problems 0.96 and 0.91, and for hyperactivity 0.88 and 0.90 respectively. Conclusion: An IRT-based CAT is a very promising tool to screen for EBP in children, as it can lead to an efficient, yet high-quality identification. A pilot study will be conducted to use the CAT as a standard instrument in routine health examinations by Preventive Child Healthcare and an extension of the CAT is developed to identify EBP in children aged 2 to 4 years old. Statement: An IRT-based Computerized Adaptive test procedure is an efficient and valid tool for the identification of emotional and behavioral problems among children.
Subject
Life
CH - Child Health
ELSS - Earth, Life and Social Sciences
Healthy for Life
Healthy Living
Children
Health
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:760476d5-425d-41d8-8d0e-bc7b508016ab
TNO identifier
869484
Publisher
European Union for School and University Health and Medicine (EUSUHM), Rotterdam
Source
Youth Health Care in Europe: Changing contexts Influencing youth and their surroundings, 20th European Union for School and University Health and Medicine (EUSUHM) 11-13 September Rotterdam, Netherland, 29
Document type
conference paper