Psychometric validation of the inventory of problematic situations involving children and adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: The adverse experiences in childhood and adolescence, as well as the exposure to domestic and school stress factors, can affect the health of children and adolescents. Considering that the education, health and security agents might not be aware of the problematic situations regarding children and adolescents, it is justifiable the investigation in that field. Objetives: To evaluate the psychometric properties, namely the factorial structure and the internal consistency, of the "Inventory of problematic situations involving children and adolescents" Methods: Study of descriptive nature, with transversal focus, analytical-correlational analysis and methodological correlation preformed of the "Inventory of problematic situations involving children and adolescents" on a sample of 136 education, health and security agents. Results: The internal inventory consistency study confirmed Cronbach's alphas, among the items that constitute it, classified as good, ranging from α = 0.791 to α = 0.822, with an overall alpha of 0.819. Their structure confirmed the presence of two factors: Factor 1 - Types of violence involving the child / adolescents in school context (α = 0.837) and Factor 2 - Risk factors for mental health (α = 0.639). The educational agents identified the highest risk factors for mental health in which a higher average was observed (M = 77.09 ± 25.72). The study of the explanatory effect of socio-professional variables on the perception of problematic situations involving children and adolescents by educational agents reveals that age (Factor 2 - Mental health risk factors p = 0.015), marital status (types of violence that (p = 0.027) and the area of professional exercise (risk factors for the mental health of children and adolescents p = 0.008, types of violence involving the child / adolescents in the school context p = 0.018). statistical relevance. Conclusions: The results show that the "Inventory of problematic situations involving children and adolescents" presents a factorial structure with satisfactory results of validity and reliability, which results in the possibility of its application, as a research instrument, to evaluate the perceptions educational agents have problematic situations involving children and adolescents.