Refinement of the Reflective Function Questionnaire for Youth (RFQY) Scale B Using Item Response Theory

Area of Science:

• Psychological Assessment
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• The Reflective Function Questionnaire for Youth (RFQY) Scale B is a lengthy measure.
• Refining assessment tools is crucial for efficient and effective clinical and research applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a shortened, psychometrically sound version of the RFQY Scale B.
• To validate the new measure's construct validity and clinical utility.

Main Methods:

• Item response theory (IRT) analyses were employed on data from non-clinical young adults (n=737).
• Results were replicated in a clinical sample of inpatient adolescents (n=467).
• Construct validity was assessed by comparing the new RFQY-5 with the original RFQY against criterion variables and diagnostic groups.

Main Results:

• A five-item measure, the RFQY-5, was successfully derived and validated.
• The RFQY-5 demonstrated comparable performance to the original RFQY in associations with criterion variables.
• The RFQY-5 showed superior ability in discriminating between inpatient and community-dwelling adolescents based on borderline traits.

Conclusions:

• The RFQY-5 is a reliable and valid short-form measure for assessing reflective functioning in youth.
• The RFQY-5 is suitable for use in both research and clinical practice.
• The shortened scale offers a more efficient alternative to the original RFQY.