Journal Article

Multi-informant reports of preschool mental health: Validation of parent and educator reports and normative data for the preschool Pediatric Symptom Checklist and PSC-17

Dadds, Mark R., Tully, Lucy A., McLean, Rebecca K.

2025

Overview

Background The prevalence of mental health problems and unmet need in preschool-age children highlight the challenge of identifying emerging difficulties using validated measures. Given the lack of existing brief screening measures for preschool-age children, especially multi-informant measures, this study examined two versions of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) as reported by parents and educators, the Preschool Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PPSC) and the PSC-17 . In line with Standards for Reporting Diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) guidelines, this study examined the psychometric properties, scoring thresholds, and acceptability of parent-reported PPSC. It also examined the psychometric properties of educator ratings for both PSC measures and the incremental validity of educator and parent ratings. Methods Two studies present validation evidence for two mental health measures for use with preschool-age children. Participants were a nationally representative sample of Australian parents ( n  = 1,045; study 1) and a paired sample of parents and educators ( n  = 94 dyads; study 2) of children aged 3–5 years. Results Results supported the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity of the PPSC. Parents and educators indicated high levels of acceptability of both PSC measures. Results indicated parent-reported PPSC and PSC-17 significantly improved the prediction of clinician-rated functioning scores over and above educator report suggesting incremental validity for multi-informant report. Normative data for the parent-reported PPSC are presented for the first time. Conclusions This research expands the evidence base for the validity, reliability and acceptability of the parent and educator-report PPSC and PSC-17 measures as utilised with young children. Although further research is required, this research contributes new evidence, including incremental validity and normative data, to increase the clinical utility of both PSC measures.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,BMC
• Subject: Assessment / Child and Adolescent Psychiatry / Child mental health / Clinical Psychology / Early childhood education / Educator / Forensic Psychiatry / Infant mental health and attachment / Medical care / Medical screening / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Multi-informant / Pediatrics / Psychiatry / Psychological aspects / Quality management / Screening