Reliability, factor structure, and measurement invariance of the dominic interactive across European countries: Cross-country utility of a child mental health self-report

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Rowella C.W.M. Kuijpers
  • Roy Otten
  • Ad A. Vermulst
  • Ondine Pez
  • Adina Bitfoi
  • Mauro Carta
  • Dietmar Goelitz
  • Katherine Keyes
  • Ceren Koç
  • Sigita Lesinskiene
  • Zlatka Mihova
  • Rutger C.M.E. Engels
  • Viviane Kovess

Large-scale international surveys are important to globally evaluate, monitor, and promote children's mental health. However, use of young children's self-reports in these studies is still controversial. The Dominic Interactive, a computerized DSM-IV-based child mental health self-report questionnaire, has unique characteristics that may make it preeminently appropriate for usage in cross-country comparisons. This study aimed to determine scale score reliabilities (omega) of the Dominic Interactive in a sample of 8,135 primary school children, ages 6-11 years old, in 7 European countries, to confirm the proposed 7-scale factor structure, and to test for measurement invariance of scale and item scores across countries. Omega reliability values for scale scores were good to high in every country, and the factor structure was confirmed for all countries. A thorough examination of measurement invariance provided evidence for cross-country test score comparability of 5 of the 7 scales and partial scale score invariance of 2 anxiety scales. Possible explanations for this partial invariance include cross-country differences in conceptualizing items and defining what is socially and culturally acceptable anxiety. The convincing evidence for validity of score interpretation makes the Dominic Interactive an indispensable tool for cross-country screening purposes.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPsychological Assessment
Volume28
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)539-548
Number of pages10
ISSN1040-3590
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.05.2016

    Research areas

  • Child self-report, Construct validity, Crosscountry research, Measurement invariance, The dominic interactive
  • Psychology

DOI