Child Maltreatment Severity Questionnaire (MSQ) for Professionals: Development, Validity, and Reliability Evidence

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Social Work
• Forensic Psychology

Background:

• Child maltreatment evaluations require reliable and efficient instruments.
• Existing assessment tools may lack comprehensive validation for severity.
• The Child Protection System (CPS) needs enhanced evaluation processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the child Maltreatment Severity Questionnaire (MSQ).
• To improve the quality and efficiency of child maltreatment evaluations within the CPS.
• To provide a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing maltreatment severity.

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Questionnaire development and item severity assignment by 93 welfare and CPS professionals.
• Study 2: Reliability analysis on 253 children/adolescents referred to CPS for internal consistency.
• Study 3: Factor analysis (exploratory and confirmatory), internal consistency, sensibility, and concurrent validity testing on 1,000 children/adolescents.

Main Results:

• Consensus on severity levels established through reliability rankings in Study 1.
• Homogeneity and internal consistency confirmed via reliability analysis in Study 2.
• Adequate validity and reliability supported by factor analysis and other measures in Study 3.

Conclusions:

• The Maltreatment Severity Questionnaire (MSQ) is a valid and reliable instrument.
• The MSQ is suitable for use by CPS professionals in evaluating child maltreatment.
• This tool can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of child protection services.