Convergent validity of K-SADS-PL by comparison with CBCL in a Portuguese speaking outpatient population.
BACKGROUND
Different diagnostic interviews in child and adolescent psychiatry have been developed in English but valid translations of instruments to other languages are still scarce especially in developing countries, limiting the comparison of child mental health data across different cultures. The present study aims to examine the convergent validity of the Brazilian version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children/Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) by comparison with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a parental screening measure for child/adolescent emotional/behavior problems.


METHODS
An experienced child psychiatrist blind to CBCL results applied the K-SADS-PL to a consecutive sample of 78 children (6-14 years) referred to a public child mental health outpatient clinic (response rate = 75%). Three K-SADS-PL parameters were considered regarding current disorders: parent screen interview rates, clinician summary screen interview rates, and final DSM-IV diagnoses. Subjects were classified according to the presence/absence of any affective/anxiety disorder, any disruptive disorder, and any psychiatric disorder based on K-SADS-PL results. All subjects obtained T-scores on CBCL scales (internalizing, externalizing, total problems).


RESULTS
Significant differences in CBCL mean T-scores were observed between disordered and non-disordered children. Compared to children who screened negative, children positive for any affective/anxiety disorder, any disruptive disorder, and any psychiatric disorder had a higher internalizing, externalizing and total problem T-score mean, respectively. Highly significant differences in T-score means were also found when examining final diagnoses, except for any affective/anxiety disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence of convergent validity was found when comparing K-SADS-PL results with CBCL data.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Gomes Carneiro 64/301 - Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. heloisab@uninet.com.br
Heloisa H A
HH
Brasil
Isabel A
IA
Bordin
D000293:Adolescent; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001938:Brazil; D057189:Checklist; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D003906:Developing Countries; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D014177:Translations