Psychometric properties of the SECMH questionnaire “Pediatric Symptom Checklist for Youth”

Abstract

The aim of this research was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Estonian PSC-17-Y self-assessment tool for children and adolescents. Data from the SECMH 2024 study was used (Tuvi et al., 2024) and the analytical sample of the current study was 389 respondents of version in Estonian aged 11-19 years (387 responded to PSC-17-Y and 389 responded to RCADS-25). Construct validity was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, and correlations with the RCADS-25 were used to test its convergent validity. The results showed a good model fit and validated the original three-factor structure (attention, internalizing, and externalizing problems). The internal reliability of the questionnaire was generally high, though the externalizing subscale showed lower reliability. A strong positive correlation with RCADS-25 values showed the convergent validity of PSC-17-Y. This suggests that the Estonian version of the PSC-17-Y is a valid and reliable assessment tool for the early detection of mental health symptomatology in children and adolescents.