Can we really use available scales for child and adolescent psychopathology across cultures? A systematic review of cross-cultural measurement invariance data.
In this systematic review, we assessed available evidence for cross-cultural measurement invariance of assessment scales for child and adolescent psychopathology as an indicator of cross-cultural validity. A literature search was conducted using the Medline, PsychInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Cross-cultural measurement invariance data was available for 26 scales. Based on the aggregation of the evidence from the studies under review, none of the evaluated scales have strong evidence for cross-cultural validity and suitability for cross-cultural comparison. A few of the studies showed a moderate level of measurement invariance for some scales (such as the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale, Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, and Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale), which may make them suitable in cross-cultural comparative studies. The remainder of the scales either showed weak or outright lack of measurement invariance. This review showed only limited testing for measurement invariance across cultural groups of scales for pediatric psychopathology, with evidence of cross-cultural validity for only a few scales. This study also revealed a need to improve practices of statistical analysis reporting in testing measurement invariance. Implications for future research are discussed.
Clinic for Neurology and Psychiatry for Children and Youth.
Dejan
D
Stevanovic
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.
Peyman
P
Jafari
Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka.
Rajna
R
Knez
University of Split.
Tomislav
T
Franic
Lagos State University College of Medicine Ikeja.
Olayinka
O
Atilola
University of Split.
Nikolina
N
Davidovic
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.
Zahra
Z
Bagheri
Clinic for Neurology and Psychiatry for Children and Youth.
Aneta
A
Lakic
D000293:Adolescent; D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*
cross-cultural comparison; cross-cultural validity; measurement invariance