Datos preliminares de la validación del Cuestionario de Detección vía Web para los trastornos emocionales (DETECTA-WEB) en adolescentes españoles

El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar de forma preliminar las propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario de Detección vía Web para los trastornos mentales emocionales (DETECTA-WEB) en adolescentes españoles. Para ello se reclutó una muestra formada por 167 adolescentes, con edades comprendidas entre los 14 y los 18 años. Los resultados indicaron que la escala presentó una estructura de 9 factores (para los 10 problemas incluidos), buena consistencia interna y correlaciones muy altas con las escalas equivalentes de la versión española del Revised Children for Anxiety and Depression Scale. De igual modo, tomando como punto de corte una puntuación equivalente a centil 80 o superior, el 20% de los sujetos encuestados presentaron sintomatología elevada de ansiedad/depresión. Los datos aportan apoyo inicial a la fiabilidad y validez del DETECTA-WEB para la evaluación de ansiedad y depresión en adolescentes.The purpose of this study was to examine preliminarily the psychometric properties of Web-Screening Questionnaire for emotional mental disorders (DETECTA-WEB) in Spanish adolescents. The sample consisted of 167 adolescents, aged between 14 and 18 years. The results indicated that the scale had a structure of 9 factors (for the 10 symptoms groups included), good internal consistency and very high correlations with equivalent scales from the Spanish version of the Revised Children for Anxiety and Depression Scale. Similarly, following a cut-off point of 80th percentile of above, 20% of the sample displayed elevated symptomatology of anxiety and/or depression. The data provide initial support for the reliability and validity of DETECTA-WEB to assess anxiety and depression in adolescents

Evidencias de Validez Diagnóstica de la Escala Detectaweb-Malestar

Evidence of diagnostic validity of the DetectaWeb-Distress ScaleAbstract: The DetectaWeb-Distress Scale is a web-based scale for screening and detecting internalizing disorder symptoms (anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, obsessions and compulsions, and suicidality) in children and adolescents. Previous studies examined the validity and reliability of the scale, however, there are no data on its diagnostic validity. The objective of this study was to examine the evidence of diagnostic validity of the DetectaWeb-Distress scale in a sample of 244 children and adolescents from clinical (n = 51) and community (n = 193) settings, all of them with the diagnostic process completed. The results indicated that the DetectaWeb-Distress scale is a useful measure from a diagnostic point of view, as it discriminates between people with emotional disorders such as anxiety and depressive disorders and suicidality, and those without, presenting ROC values of approximately .80 and good sensitivity and specificity for detecting the main emotional disorders. The DetectaWeb-Distress Scale is a valid measure and diagnostically useful for detecting and identifying children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, depression and suicidality, with the advantage that it is a short measure, specifically developed for Internet use, especially relevant in the era of COVID-19.Keywords: DetectaWeb-Distress; assessment, anxiety, depression, children, adolescents.Evidencias de Validez Diagnóstica de la Escala Detectaweb-Malestar Resumen: La Escala DetectaWeb-Malestar es una escala de detección del malestar emocional a través de internet que evalúa síntomas de trastornos interiorizados (ansiedad, depresión, estrés postraumático, obsesiones y compulsiones y suicidalidad) en niños y adolescentes. Estudios anteriores han examinado la validez y fiabilidad de la escala, sin embargo, no cuenta con datos relativos a su validez diagnóstica. El objetivo de este estudio es examinar las evidencias de validez diagnóstica de la escala DetectaWeb-Malestar en una muestra de 244 niños y adolescentes procedentes de contextos clínico (n = 51) y comunitario (n = 193), todos con un proceso diagnóstico completado. Los resultados indicaron que la escala DetectaWeb-Malestar es una medida útil desde el punto de vista diagnóstico, ya que discrimina entre personas con trastornos de emocionales, como son los de ansiedad, depresión y suicidalidad y los que no lo padecen, presentando valores ROC en torno a .80 y adecuada sensibilidad y especificidad para detectar los principales trastornos emocionales. La escala DetectaWeb-Malestar es una medida válida y útil desde el punto de vista diagnóstico para detectar e identificar niños y adolescentes con problemas de ansiedad, depresión y suicidalidad, con la ventaja de que es una medida breve y desarrollada específicamente para su uso a través de Internet, especialmente relevante en la era de la COVID-19.Palabras clave: DetectaWeb-Malestar; evaluación; ansiedad; depresión; niños y adolescentes

DetectaWeb Project: study protocol of a web-based detection of mental health of children and adolescents

Introduction Traditionally, research and practice addressing mental health has been conducted within a unidimensional model, explaining mental health as the presence/absence of psychological problems (distress or psychopathological symptoms). More recently, accumulative evidence has supported a bi-dimensional model, which conceptualises psychological problems and psychological strengths (well-being) as related-yet-distinct continua that, when considered together, yields a more comprehensive understanding of individuals. The DetectaWeb Project is a web-based early detection assessment of the mental health continuum (MHC) for children and adolescents and aims to: develop a web-based platform for screening of the MHC, including both psychological problems (anxiety, depression and suicidality) and personal strengths (emotional, cognitive/psychological and social aspects); examine the prevalence of the MHC among children and adolescents; and analyse key determinants (risk and protective factors) of the MHC. Methods and analysis We will conduct an ongoing, multicentre observational, cross-sectional study of Spanish children and adolescents. Participants will be assessed through a web-based platform. In order to validate the web-based screening system, a clinical reappraisal will be completed among a subsample of respondents. To elucidate youth’s levels of subjective distress and well-being, we will include measures of anxiety, depression, suicidality, well-being, externalising problems and socio-demographic variables. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained at all sites. All participants will sign a free and informed consent form before the assessment. Results of the study will be communicated during national and international meetings in the field of clinical and health psychology with children and adolescents. Publications will be sought in journals usually read by psychologists or psychiatrists involved in the development of epidemiological studies and interventions for mental health promotion based on resilience building for children and adolescents.Detecta Web Project is a funded project by the Vicerrectorado for Research and Technological Development from Miguel Hernández University (BANCAJA-UMH, call 2010), the Department of Health Care (Consejeria de Sanidad) from the Valencian Community (SMI 10/2014), and a grant for the hiring of predoctoral research assistant granted the third author (ProgramVALi+d, Department of Education, Research, Culture and Sport from the Valencian Community)

DetectaWeb-Distress Scale: A Global and Multidimensional Web-Based Screener for Emotional Disorder Symptoms in Children and Adolescents

Emotional disorder symptoms are highly prevalent and a common cause of disability among children and adolescents. Screening and early detection are needed to identify those who need help and to improve treatment outcomes. Nowadays, especially with the arrival of the COVID-19 outbreak, assessment is increasingly conducted online, resulting in the need for brief online screening measures. The aim of the current study was to examine the reliability and different sources of validity evidence of a new web-based screening questionnaire for emotional disorder symptoms, the DetectaWeb-Distress Scale, which assesses mood (major depression and dysthymic disorder), anxiety (separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, social phobia, panic disorder/agoraphobia, and specific phobia), obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidality (suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts), and global distress. A total of 1,499 participants (aged 8–18) completed the DetectaWeb-Distress Scale and specific questionnaires for emotional disorder symptoms, suicidal behaviors, and well-being through a web-based survey. Results indicated that a structural model of 10 correlated factors fits reasonably better in comparison to the remaining models; measurement invariance for age and gender; good internal consistency (McDonald's ω ranging from 0.65 to 0.94); and significant positive correlation with other measures of anxiety, depression, PTSD, or distress, and negative correlation with well-being measures, displaying support for convergent-discriminant validity. We also found that girls scored higher than boys on most of the subscales, and children had higher scores for social anxiety, specific phobia, panic disorder, and obsessive–compulsive symptoms, whereas adolescents scored higher on depressive symptoms, suicidality, and generalized anxiety, but the effect sizes were small to medium for all comparisons. The DetectaWeb-Distress Scale is a valid, innovative, and useful online tool for the screening and evaluation of preventive programs for mental health in children and adolescents.This study was supported by research grants conceded to the JP by the Vicerrectorado for Research and Technological Development from the Miguel Hernández University (BANCAJA-UMH, call 2010), the Department of Health Care (Consejeria de Sanidad) from the Valencian Community (SMI 10/2014), and the Vicerrectorado for Research from the Miguel Hernández University (YS0017VF); and a grant for the hiring of a pre-doctoral research assistant awarded to the MR-R (ACIF/2015/155; VALi+d Program; Department of Education, Research, Culture and Sport from the Valencian Community)

Detección online de trastornos emocionales en población clínica de niños y adolescentes: Escala DetectaWeb-Malestar

Online detection of emotional disorders in the clinical population of children and adolescents: DetectaWeb-Distress Scale. Psychological assessment of mental health through the Internet can be an effective alternative to collect information. Commonly, these online assessments are carried out using self-report questionnaires extrapolated directly from paper-and-pencil formats, which does not always guarantee interformat reliability. The DetectaWeb-Distress scale is a new web-based questionnaire for the most common emotional disorders, which has reported initial support for its reliability and validity for the assessment of emotional symptoms (depressive and anxious disorders, and suicidal behaviors) in community samples of children and adolescents. However, psychometric data are unknown for its use with clinical samples. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide the first reliability and validity data for the DetectaWeb-Distress scale with clinical samples. A sample of 83 participants with a clinical diagnosis (8-18 years) completed the DetectaWeb-Distress scale along with other questionnaires of externalizing and internalizing symptoms, and psychological well-being through a survey online. The results indicated a structural model of 10 correlated factors, high internal consistency, and adequate evidence of validity. Therefore, this measure could be considered a brief screening questionnaire, which is valid, innovative, and useful for early screening, epidemiological studies, and the evaluation of preventive programs of mental health with community and clinical programs. This is one of the first specific instruments for assessment emotional disorders through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), featuring robust psychometric properties and advantages related with this new way of assessment.La evaluación psicológica de la salud mental a través de Internet puede ser una alternativa eficaz para recoger información. Comúnmente estas evaluaciones online se realizan mediante cuestionarios de autoinforme extrapolados directamente de versiones de lápiz y papel, lo cual no siempre garantiza la fiabilidad entre formatos. La escala DetectaWeb-Malestar ha sido creada específicamente en formato online para evaluar los trastornos emocionales más comunes, y ha obtenido apoyo inicial para su fiabilidad y validez para evaluar síntomas de los trastornos depresivos, ansiosos y suicidio, en muestras comunitarias de niños y adolescentes. Sin embargo, no se conocen datos psicométricos para su uso con población clínica. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este trabajo es aportar datos de fiabiliad y validez de la Escala DetectaWeb-Malestar en una muestra clínica. Un total de 83 participantes con diagnóstico clínico (8-18 años) cumplimentó la escala DetectaWeb-Malestar junto con otros cuestionarios de síntomas internalizantes y externalizantes, y de bienestar psicológico a través de una plataforma online. Los resultados indicaron un modelo estructural de 10 factores correlacionados, consistencia interna alta y adecuadas evidencias de validez. Por lo tanto, esta medida podría considerarse una herramienta de cribado breve, adaptada a las nuevas generaciones digitales, que resulta válida, innovadora y útil para la detección temprana, la realización de estudios epidemiológicos y la evaluación de programas preventivos de salud mental con población comunitaria y clínica. Esta medida es uno de los primeros instrumentos específicos para la evaluación del malestar emocional mediante las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicaciónque cuenta con propiedades psicométricas robustas y ventajas asociadas a esta nueva forma de evaluación