ABSTRACT
Objective
To construct and validate the Scale for the Identification of Psychopathological Symptoms in Schoolchildren (SIPSS).
Methods
This methodological study was based on the following theoretical procedures: panel of judges and pilot study; experimental procedures for collecting data from 201 children aged from six to 12 years old; statistical procedures including construction validation, tested using the Rasch model and Cronbach’s alpha.
Results
Analysis by the panel of judges resulted in the exclusion of five items. Another item was also discarded after the pilot test, resulting in a preliminary version with 23 items assessing six aspects. The Rasch model indicated that the SIPSS is a one-dimensional scale and most items are adjusted to the model, except four items that presented an item-total correlation below 0.2 and two items that presented differential functioning depending on the children’s sex: reliability of items was 0.97 and Cronbach’s alpha was – 0.67.
Conclusion
The scale’s preliminary version presented satisfactory psychometric properties, suggesting it is reliable for the identification of psychopathological symptoms related to anxiety, mood, social behavior, motor attention/activity, eating patterns, and the use/abuse of psychoactive substances among children aged from six to 12 years old.
Child; psychopathology; mental disorders of childhood; psychological symptoms; psychometrics.
