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A DSM-IV-referenced, adolescent self-report rating scale
Kenneth D Gadow1, Joyce Sprafkin, Gabrielle A Carlson
1Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794-8790, USA. kgadow@mail.psychiatry.sunysb.edu
Summary
The Youth's Inventory-4 (YI-4) shows good reliability and validity for assessing symptoms in adolescents. This self-report scale is useful for clinical evaluations of referred youth.
Area of Science:
- Psychometric evaluation
- Adolescent mental health assessment
- Child psychology
Background:
- The Youth's Inventory-4 (YI-4) is a self-report rating scale referencing the DSM-IV.
- Accurate assessment tools are crucial for diagnosing and treating mental health conditions in youth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Youth's Inventory-4 (YI-4).
- To determine the clinical utility of the YI-4 for symptom assessment in referred youth.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 239 youths (aged 11-18) completed the YI-4 during clinical evaluations.
- Test-retest reliability was assessed in a separate sample of 47 youths.
- Convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity were examined using self-report, parent, and teacher measures.
Main Results:
- The YI-4 demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (alpha = .66-.87) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.54-0.92).
- The scale showed good convergent and discriminant validity, differentiating between clinical diagnoses.
- Youth-parent and youth-teacher agreement was generally modest.
Conclusions:
- The YI-4 provides preliminary support for its clinical utility in assessing symptoms among referred youths.
- The findings suggest the YI-4 is a valuable tool for clinicians working with adolescents.