title: Validation of the multiple language versions of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-37 for refugee adolescents.
abstract: The objective of this study is to provide preliminary psychometric properties of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-37 (HSCL-37A) for refugee adolescents. The HSCL-37A is a modification of the well-known HSCL-25 and assesses symptoms of internalizing and externalizing problems that have been associated with reactions to trauma. Four independent heterogeneous samples (N=3890) of unaccompanied refugee minors, immigrants, and native Dutch and Belgian adolescents were assessed at school. The confirmative factor analyses, per language version, support the two-factor structure of internalizing and externalizing behavior. The total and subscales show good internal consistency and acceptable test-retest reliability in spite of the heterogeneous sample populations. The construct, content, and criterion validity of the HSCL-37A were also examined and found to be good. The findings of this study suggest that the HSCL-37A is a reliable and valid instrument to be used among culturally diverse refugee adolescents to assess emotional distress and maladaptive behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, PA 15221, USA. beanfm@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bean
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Derluyn
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eurelings-Bontekoe
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Broekaert
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spinhoven
mesh_terms: D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations