Validating Mental Health Tools for Children in Nepal
Author Information
Author(s): Kohrt Brandon A, Jordans Mark JD, Tol Wietse A, Luitel Nagendra P, Maharjan Sujen M, Upadhaya Nawaraj
Primary Institution: Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal
Hypothesis
Can culturally adapted mental health instruments effectively assess child mental health in Nepal?
Conclusion
The study successfully adapted and validated mental health instruments for children in Nepal, demonstrating their effectiveness in low-resource settings.
Supporting Evidence
- The instruments showed moderate to good psychometric properties.
- Transcultural translation was conducted with local mental health professionals.
- Focus groups with children helped adapt the instruments to local contexts.
- The study highlights the importance of culturally relevant mental health assessments.
- Task-shifting to trained paraprofessionals was effective in low-resource settings.
Takeaway
This study shows that we can create and use mental health questionnaires for kids in Nepal that really work, even if there aren't many doctors around.
Methodology
The study involved focus groups with children and mental health professionals to adapt the Depression Self-Rating Scale and Child PTSD Symptom Scale, followed by validation with structured interviews.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from using a single psychosocial counselor for assessments.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable to all low-resource settings due to cultural differences.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 11-14 years, with a mix of genders and ethnic backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<. 001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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