Successful validation of the CAT-MH Scales in a sample of Latin American migrants in the United States and Spain

Psychol Assess. 2018 Oct;30(10):1267-1276. doi: 10.1037/pas0000569. Epub 2018 May 24.

Abstract

We examined cultural differences in the item characteristic functions of self-reported of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and mania-hypomania in a Latino population taking Computerized Adaptive Tests for Mental Health (CAT-MH) in Spanish versus a non-Latino sample taking the tests in English. We studied differential item functioning (DIF) of the most common adaptively administered symptom items out of a bank of 1,008 items between Latino (n = 1276) and non-Latino (n = 798) subjects. For depression, we identified 4 items with DIF that were good discriminators for non-Latinos but poor discriminators for Latinos. These items were related to cheerfulness, life satisfaction, concentration, and fatigue. The correlation between the original calibration and a Latino-only new calibration after eliminating these items was r = .990. For anxiety, no items with DIF were identified. The correlation between the original and new calibrations was r = .993. For mania-hypomania, we identified 4 items with differential item functioning that were good discriminators for non-Latinos but poor discriminators for Latinos. These items were related to risk-taking, self-assurance, and sexual activity. The correlation between the original and new calibration was r = .962. Once the identified items were removed, the correlation between the original calibration and a Latino-only calibration was r = .96 or greater. These findings reveal that the CAT-MH can be reliably used to measure depression, anxiety, and mania in Latinos taking these tests in Spanish. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anxiety / diagnosis*
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Bipolar Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Calibration
  • Depression / diagnosis*
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted
  • Emigrants and Immigrants / psychology*
  • Fatigue
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Latin America / ethnology
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Middle Aged
  • Personal Satisfaction
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Self Report
  • Spain
  • Transients and Migrants / psychology*
  • United States
  • Young Adult