Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal 2/2014

01-02-2014 | Brief Report

Psychometric Investigation of a Brief Measure of Outcomes in Children’s Mental Health

Authors: Lauren Terhorst, Shari L. Hutchison, Mark J. Sorbero, Ann M. Mitchell, Judith W. Dogin, Bradley D. Stein

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 2/2014

Login to get access

Abstract

The current investigation sought to provide reliability and validity evidence for the Child Outcomes Survey (COS), a brief measure designed with a dual purpose to measure functioning and therapeutic relationship and to serve as a clinician-caregiver communication tool. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed using a sample of 774 responses collected from 15 provider sites throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Results of the EFA (n = 387) uncovered a three factor structure (family functioning, child functioning, and therapeutic relationship) which was confirmed in the CFA (n = 387). The internal consistency reliability of the three subscales ranged from α = .76 to α = .91. There was a significant relationship between the therapeutic relationship subscale and the use of the COS as a communication aid (r s  = .50, p < .001). Findings support the COS as an accurate measure of functioning and therapeutic relationship and its utility as a communication aid between clinician and caregiver.
Footnotes
1
SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ®indicates USA registration.
 
Literature
go back to reference Azocar, F., Cuffel, B., & McCulloch, J. (2007). Monitoring patient improvement and treatment outcomes in managed behavioral health. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 29, 4–12.PubMedCrossRef Azocar, F., Cuffel, B., & McCulloch, J. (2007). Monitoring patient improvement and treatment outcomes in managed behavioral health. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 29, 4–12.PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Bartlett, M. S. (1937). Properties of sufficiency and statistical tests. Proceedings of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, 160, 268–282.CrossRef Bartlett, M. S. (1937). Properties of sufficiency and statistical tests. Proceedings of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, 160, 268–282.CrossRef
go back to reference Bourdon, K. H., Goodman, R., Rae, D. S., Simpson, G., & Koretz, D. S. (2005). The strengths and difficulties questionnaire: U.S. normative data and psychometric properties. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 44(6), 557–564.PubMedCrossRef Bourdon, K. H., Goodman, R., Rae, D. S., Simpson, G., & Koretz, D. S. (2005). The strengths and difficulties questionnaire: U.S. normative data and psychometric properties. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 44(6), 557–564.PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.CrossRef Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.CrossRef
go back to reference Cronbach, L. J., & Shavelson, R. (2004). My current thoughts on coefficient alpha and its procedures. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 64(3), 391–418.CrossRef Cronbach, L. J., & Shavelson, R. (2004). My current thoughts on coefficient alpha and its procedures. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 64(3), 391–418.CrossRef
go back to reference DeVillis, R. F. (1991). Scale development: Theory and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. DeVillis, R. F. (1991). Scale development: Theory and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
go back to reference Duffy, F. F., Chung, H., & Trivedi, M. (2008). Systematic use of patient-rated depression severity monitoring: Is it helpful and feasible in clinical psychiatry? Psychiatric Services, 59, 1148–1154.PubMedCrossRef Duffy, F. F., Chung, H., & Trivedi, M. (2008). Systematic use of patient-rated depression severity monitoring: Is it helpful and feasible in clinical psychiatry? Psychiatric Services, 59, 1148–1154.PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Frabiger, L. R., Wegener, D. T., MacCallum, R. C., & Strahan, E. J. (1999). Evaluating the use of exploratory factor analysis in psychological research. Psychological Methods, 4(3), 272–299.CrossRef Frabiger, L. R., Wegener, D. T., MacCallum, R. C., & Strahan, E. J. (1999). Evaluating the use of exploratory factor analysis in psychological research. Psychological Methods, 4(3), 272–299.CrossRef
go back to reference Ghazvini, A. S., & Readdick, C. A. (1994). Parent-caregiver communication and quality of care in diverse child care settings. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 9, 207–222.CrossRef Ghazvini, A. S., & Readdick, C. A. (1994). Parent-caregiver communication and quality of care in diverse child care settings. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 9, 207–222.CrossRef
go back to reference Goodman, R. (1997). The strengths and difficulties questionnaire: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38(5), 581–587.PubMedCrossRef Goodman, R. (1997). The strengths and difficulties questionnaire: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38(5), 581–587.PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Harman, H. H. (1976). Modern factor analysis (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago. Harman, H. H. (1976). Modern factor analysis (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago.
go back to reference Harmon, C., Hawkins, E. J., Lambert, M. J., Slade, K., & Whipple, J. S. (2005). Improving outcomes for poorly responding clients: The use of clinical support tools and feedback to clients. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61, 175–185.PubMedCrossRef Harmon, C., Hawkins, E. J., Lambert, M. J., Slade, K., & Whipple, J. S. (2005). Improving outcomes for poorly responding clients: The use of clinical support tools and feedback to clients. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61, 175–185.PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1998). Fit indices in covariance structure modeling: Sensitivity to underparametized model misspecification. Psychological Methods, 3(4), 424–453.CrossRef Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1998). Fit indices in covariance structure modeling: Sensitivity to underparametized model misspecification. Psychological Methods, 3(4), 424–453.CrossRef
go back to reference IBM Corp. Released. (2011). IBM SPSS statistics for windows, version 20.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. IBM Corp. Released. (2011). IBM SPSS statistics for windows, version 20.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.
go back to reference Kaiser, H. F. (1974). An index of factorial simplicity. Psychometrika, 39, 32–36. Kaiser, H. F. (1974). An index of factorial simplicity. Psychometrika, 39, 32–36.
go back to reference Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.
go back to reference Schauer, C., Everett, A., & del Vecchio, P. (2007). Promoting the value and practice of shared decision-making in mental health care. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31, 54–61.PubMedCrossRef Schauer, C., Everett, A., & del Vecchio, P. (2007). Promoting the value and practice of shared decision-making in mental health care. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31, 54–61.PubMedCrossRef
go back to reference Schinka, J. A., Velicer, W. F., & Weiner, I. B. (2003). Handbook of psychology: Research methods in psychology. New York: Wiley. Schinka, J. A., Velicer, W. F., & Weiner, I. B. (2003). Handbook of psychology: Research methods in psychology. New York: Wiley.
go back to reference Shapiro, S. S., & Wilk, M. B. (1965). An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika, 52(3–4), 591–611. Shapiro, S. S., & Wilk, M. B. (1965). An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika, 52(3–4), 591–611.
go back to reference Stewart, M. A. (1995). Effective physician-patient communication and health outcomes: A review. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 152, 1423–1433. Stewart, M. A. (1995). Effective physician-patient communication and health outcomes: A review. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 152, 1423–1433.
go back to reference SAS. (2012). SAS Software (v. 9.3). Cary, NC: SAS Institute. SAS. (2012). SAS Software (v. 9.3). Cary, NC: SAS Institute.
go back to reference Tabachnik, B. G., & Fiddell, L. S. (2006). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Tabachnik, B. G., & Fiddell, L. S. (2006). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Metadata
Title
Psychometric Investigation of a Brief Measure of Outcomes in Children’s Mental Health
Authors
Lauren Terhorst
Shari L. Hutchison
Mark J. Sorbero
Ann M. Mitchell
Judith W. Dogin
Bradley D. Stein
Publication date
01-02-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 2/2014
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9627-1

Other articles of this Issue 2/2014

Community Mental Health Journal 2/2014 Go to the issue