Preliminary Examination of a New Mental Health Screener in a Pediatric Sample
published online 30 July 2009.
Abstract
Introduction
Approximately 80% of children with mental health problems do not receive services. It has been recommended that mental health screening be conducted during pediatric visits (Huffman & Nichols, 2004).
Methods
The Primary Care Mental Health Screener (PCMHS) was designed to screen for DSM-IV disorders (APA, 1994) in children. The PCMHS was completed by 328 parents of 3- to 12-year-olds.
Results
The long-form showed adequate to excellent internal consistency across three age groups and eight subscales with one exception (depression in preschoolers). Next, data were used to shorten the screener without compromising internal consistency, resulting in a 32-item short-form.
Discussion
The long-form of the PCMHS is a promising mental health screener. The internal consistency of the proposed short-form should be examined with a separate sample. Additional research is needed to improve the reliability of the PCMHS for 3- to 5-year-olds and, in general, to examine the validity of this screener.
Correspondence: Cynthia M. Hartung, PhD, University of Wyoming, Department of Psychology, Department #3415, 1000 East University Ave, Laramie, WY 82071
This project was one of the requirements for Elizabeth K. Lefler's master's degree in clinical psychology at Oklahoma State University.
ABSTRACT