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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1415133
This article is part of the Research Topic Biosocial Determinants and Solutions of Mental Health Conditions in Low and Middle-Income Countries View all 6 articles

Validation of the World Health Organization's Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) for Children with mental disorders in specialized health-care services

Provisionally accepted
Lina Díaz-Castro Lina Díaz-Castro 1Miriam Arroyo-Belmonte Miriam Arroyo-Belmonte 1*Paloma Suárez-Brito Paloma Suárez-Brito 2Maria Elena Márquez Caraveo Maria Elena Márquez Caraveo 3Consuelo García-Andrade Consuelo García-Andrade 1
  • 1 Direction of Epidemiological and Psychosocial Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 2 Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 3 Research Division, Children Psychiatric Hospital 'Dr. Juan N. Navarro', Mexico City, Mexico

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Mental disorders are highly prevalent among children, yet access to timely and effective treatment remains limited. Untreated or poorly managed mental disorders in children are associated with significant functional deterioration and long-term consequences. The validation of reliable assessment tools is crucial for identifying functional impairments and guiding interventions in this population. This study aimed to assess the utility and psychometric properties of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) in evaluating functional impairment among children and adolescents receiving specialized mental health care in Mexican psychiatric hospitals. Method: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted from January 2018 to February 2020 in two psychiatric public hospitals in Mexico. The Spanish version of the WHODAS 2.0 was adapted for the pediatric population, and its psychometric properties were evaluated among 390 children and adolescents receiving psychiatric care. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and tests of internal consistency and validity. Results: The WHODAS 2.0 demonstrated high internal consistency (α = .92) and convergent validity, with significant correlations observed between WHODAS scores and clinical variables. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-dimensional structure, with gender-specific differences identified in functional impairment patterns. Discussion: The study provides robust evidence supporting the utility and psychometric properties of the WHODAS 2.0 for assessing functional impairment in children and adolescents with mental disorders in Mexican psychiatric hospitals. These findings have implications for clinical practice, policy-making, and future research aimed at improving outcomes for this vulnerable population.

    Keywords: Mental Disorders, Children, WHODAS 2.0, validity, Reliability

    Received: 10 Apr 2024; Accepted: 02 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Díaz-Castro, Arroyo-Belmonte, Suárez-Brito, Márquez Caraveo and García-Andrade. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Miriam Arroyo-Belmonte, Direction of Epidemiological and Psychosocial Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.