The applicability of WHODAS 2.0 in adolescents in China

This study was designed to examine the applicability of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) in adolescents in China for internal consistency and factorial validity.

The conceptualisation of impairments, activity limitation and participation restriction as disability underpins WHODAS 2.0. Available evidence is mainly about the use of WHODAS 2.0 in adults with little attention to adolescents.

Survey design.

A total 314 adolescent inpatients were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy and self-measured with a range of scales related to puberty development, family function, 36-item WHODAS 2.0, extended version of Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (Ext-SDQ). The same amount of junior high school student data was randomly selected to facilitate the model invariance examination through confirmatory factor analysis with the assistance of amos 19 and spss 19.

Adolescents (mean, 14.07; SD, 2.866) varied greatly in demography, health conditions, body mass index, puberty development, family function, disability and difficulties as well as prosocial status. After the removal of the item on sexual activity, the internal consistency for the 35-item WHODAS is satisfactory, overall and dimensional. The six-factor WHODAS model was found to be a good model fit, moderately correlated with the overall difficulty measured by the 20-item four-factor SDQ, with the ability to differentiate the group of adolescent inpatients and junior high school students.

The 35-item WHODAS is useful with adolescents with satisfactory internal reliability and factorial validity.

This study supports the use of 35-item WHODAS in adolescents with or without health conditions in school and hospital settings, which paves the way for a better understanding about and health service delivery to adolescents during the transition from childhood to adulthood.