title: Reliability, factor structure, and measurement invariance of the Dominic Interactive across European countries: Cross-country utility of a child mental health self-report.
abstract: Large-scale international surveys are important to globally evaluate, monitor, and promote children's mental health. However, use of young children's self-reports in these studies is still controversial. The Dominic Interactive, a computerized DSM-IV-based child mental health self-report questionnaire, has unique characteristics that may make it preeminently appropriate for usage in cross-country comparisons. This study aimed to determine scale score reliabilities (omega) of the Dominic Interactive in a sample of 8,135 primary school children, ages 6-11 years old, in 7 European countries, to confirm the proposed 7-scale factor structure, and to test for measurement invariance of scale and item scores across countries. Omega reliability values for scale scores were good to high in every country, and the factor structure was confirmed for all countries. A thorough examination of measurement invariance provided evidence for cross-country test score comparability of 5 of the 7 scales and partial scale score invariance of 2 anxiety scales. Possible explanations for this partial invariance include cross-country differences in conceptualizing items and defining what is socially and culturally acceptable anxiety. The convincing evidence for validity of score interpretation makes the Dominic Interactive an indispensable tool for cross-country screening purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen.
authors.forename: Rowella C W M
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kuijpers
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen.
authors.forename: Ad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vermulst
authors.affiliation: École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, Paris Descartes University.
authors.forename: Ondine
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pez
authors.affiliation: The Romanian League for Mental Health.
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bitfoi
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Unit, Department of Public Health, University of Cagliari.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.affiliation: Center for Applied Sciences of Health, Leuphana University of Lueneburg.
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goelitz
authors.affiliation: Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keyes
authors.affiliation: Yeniden Health and Education Society.
authors.forename: Ceren
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koç
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Vilnius.
authors.forename: Sigita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lesinskiene
authors.affiliation: New Bulgarian University.
authors.forename: Zlatka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mihova
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen.
authors.forename: Rutger C M E
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.affiliation: École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, Paris Descartes University.
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kovess
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report / Q000592:standards*