Reporting Questionnaire for Children as a Screening Instrument for Child Mental Health Problems in Iraqi Kurdistan

Abstract

To identify child mental health problems in a mid-sized to large city in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Reporting Questionnaire for Children (RQC), followed by the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and the Post-traumatic Stress Symptom Checklist for Children (PTSS-C), were administered in interview form to the caregivers of 806 school-aged children. To cover different categories of children, four samples were randomly selected from among the general population (n = 201), orphans (n = 241), primary medical care patients (n = 199), and hospital patients (n = 165). The RQC revealed satisfactory validity against a deviant CBCL cut-off. The screening capacity of the RQC was further supported by its similarity to the CBCL in distribution of problem scores among the four samples and its positive correlation with the CBCL, but not with the trauma-related PTSS-C. Although the general population showed lower problem scores than the orphans and the two clinical samples, problem scores in all instruments were considerably higher than those reported from other societies. The RQC seems to be useful as a first-stage screening instrument for child mental health problems in Kurdistan.

A 2‐year follow‐up of orphans’ competence, socioemotional problems and post‐traumatic stress symptoms in traditional foster care and orphanages in Iraqi Kurdistan

“…This study was included in an epidemiological research on child mental health in Iraqi Kurdistan (Ahmad et al . 2005).…”

Improving the Measurement of Children’s Mental Health Problems in Colombia with Item Response Theory

“…The rqc has been administered in several countries, including Iraq, Ethiopia, Sudan, Philippines, India, and Colombia (Giel et al, 1981). Previous evidence shows that the rqc has a similar predictive power of children's clinical disorders to that of the cbcl in Iraqui Kurdistan children (Ahmad et al, 2007). Second, the cbtd is a 27-item questionnaire for parents, which comprises 10-items taken from the rqc and additional items reflecting additional mental health problems symptoms.…”

Exploring Psychological Vaccination for Potentially Traumatized Children

“…The trained co-leader simultaneously uses the Crisis Screening Instrument to identify children showing any sign or symptom of psychological distress that is qualifying to further individual assessment. This instrument is derived from two widely used screening questionnaires with satisfactory validity and reliability in Kurdistan society [30,31]; Children showing positive screening are to be referred for individual assessment by a trained expert in using a Modified Family Map to identify risk and protecting factors in three generations in addition to examination of psychiatric status for planning of adequate management [32]. The CIPCA is hypothyzed to act as psychological vaccination against development of posttraumatic psychopathology [18,19].…”