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Child Behavior Checklist item scores in Norwegian children
1Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Norway.
Insights
This study found that the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) effectively predicts psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Specific items like "clumsy" and "unhappy, sad or depressed" showed high predictive value.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is a widely used tool for assessing behavioral and emotional problems in youth.
- International studies have established norms and identified demographic influences on CBCL scores, such as age and socioeconomic status (SES).
- Understanding gender-specific patterns in child behavior is crucial for accurate assessment and diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the psychometric properties of the CBCL in a non-Western sample.
- To examine the influence of age, socioeconomic status (SES), and gender on CBCL item scores.
- To evaluate the predictive validity of CBCL problem items for psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents.
Main Methods:
- An epidemiological study involving 1170 parents who completed the CBCL for their children aged 4-16.
- A subgroup of 41 children and 36 adolescents underwent structured psychiatric interviews.
- Analysis of CBCL item scores in relation to demographic factors and psychiatric diagnoses.
Main Results:
- Age and SES demonstrated similar effects on CBCL item scores as reported in international studies.
- Gender differences were found for only a few CBCL items, contrary to some previous research.
- Several CBCL problem items, notably "clumsy" and "unhappy, sad or depressed," were significant predictors of psychiatric disorder.
Conclusions:
- The CBCL is a valuable tool for identifying potential psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents.
- "Clumsy" and "unhappy, sad or depressed" are particularly useful indicators of psychopathology in this population.
- While age and SES effects align with international findings, gender-specific patterns warrant further investigation.
Abstract:
In an epidemiological study of children aged four to 16, 1170 parents responded to the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Similar effects of age and socio-economic status (SES) on item scores as those reported in several international studies with the CBCL were found in the total sample. Contrary to the results of other studies, differences related to gender were found for only a few items. A subgroup of 41 children and 36 adolescents and their parents were interviewed with psychiatric interviews. Several CBCL problem items were good predictors of psychiatric disorder in the interviewed children and adolescents. High positive and negative predictive values were found for the items clumsy and the item unhappy, sad or depressed in this sample.