Measuring Child Youth Neglect Evaluating a YouthReport Neglect

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Measuring Child & Youth Neglect: Evaluating a Youth-Report Neglect Measure S. Pitts, H. Dubowitz,

Measuring Child & Youth Neglect: Evaluating a Youth-Report Neglect Measure S. Pitts, H. Dubowitz, J. Hussey, A. Litrownik, R. Thompson, D. Runyan, M. Black University of Maryland School of Medicine

Child & Youth Neglect • Pervasive problem • Most common form of child maltreatment

Child & Youth Neglect • Pervasive problem • Most common form of child maltreatment • Short and long-term harm

A Multi-Dimensional Measure • Neglect - a heterogeneous phenomenon • Main subtypes: - Physical

A Multi-Dimensional Measure • Neglect - a heterogeneous phenomenon • Main subtypes: - Physical - Emotional (Psychological) - Monitoring (Supervisory) - Educational

A Continuous Measure • Neglect occurs on a continuum Needs fully met • Measure

A Continuous Measure • Neglect occurs on a continuum Needs fully met • Measure should be stable - Across: • Genders • Ages Not at all

Measure • Modified version of Straus, Kinard, & Williams. (1995). The Multidimensional Neglect Scale,

Measure • Modified version of Straus, Kinard, & Williams. (1995). The Multidimensional Neglect Scale, Form A: Adolescent and Adult-Recall Version. • • • 5 questions added Inquired about specific time frames Likert response options; not frequency

Measure • Scale is youth-report • Individuals responded to each item twice, for 2

Measure • Scale is youth-report • Individuals responded to each item twice, for 2 timeframes: - During “Elementary School” (6 -11 yrs. ) - During the “Past Year” • At both ages 12 & 14

Examples of items Physical Needs “Give you enough to eat” Emotional Support “Tell you

Examples of items Physical Needs “Give you enough to eat” Emotional Support “Tell you they loved you” Parental Monitoring “Take an interest in your friends” Educational support “Helped you with homework”

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) • CFA helps determine: - Appropriate number of factors -

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) • CFA helps determine: - Appropriate number of factors - How well items relate to factors • CFA also allows comparison of two (or more) groups. - Is measurement the same for females & males? - The same at ages 12 & 14?

Measurement Stability • Is the variable measured the same in two or more groups

Measurement Stability • Is the variable measured the same in two or more groups (times)? • Stability needed before making: - Statements regarding group mean differences in neglect - Statements about how neglect is changing over time

Analyses • • • Evaluated individual item correlations & distributions Evaluated 4 -factor measurement

Analyses • • • Evaluated individual item correlations & distributions Evaluated 4 -factor measurement structure Evaluated measurement stability across gender, time, & timeframe

Confirmatory Factor Analysis • A model with 4 correlated factors: - Physical Needs -

Confirmatory Factor Analysis • A model with 4 correlated factors: - Physical Needs - 4 items - Emotional Support - 7 items - Monitoring - 5 items - Educational Support - 4 items • Partial support for a multi-dimensional measure of neglect • Educational Support factor was redundant, & dropped

Modified CFA • 3 factor measure of Neglect - Physical Needs - Emotional Support

Modified CFA • 3 factor measure of Neglect - Physical Needs - Emotional Support - Monitoring • Model fit well • Loadings (relations of each item with its factor) all high (>. 50)

Group equivalence To infer the “same” measure, must display: • Configural invariance - Same

Group equivalence To infer the “same” measure, must display: • Configural invariance - Same number of factors measured by the same items • Metric equivalence - Loadings (relations of each item with its factor) are the same

Group equivalence Gender - Both requirements met - age 12 data Age - Both

Group equivalence Gender - Both requirements met - age 12 data Age - Both requirements met - ages 12 & 14 Time frame - Both requirements met - Past Year & Elementary School periods

Conclusions • Promising development of a 3 -factor self-report measure of child & youth

Conclusions • Promising development of a 3 -factor self-report measure of child & youth neglect. • Measurement structure of Physical Needs, Emotional Support, and Parental Monitoring was: - Equivalent across sexes - Equivalent over an earlyadolescent age range (12 to 14)

Further research • Examine whether the 3 factors are associated with different: - Antecedents

Further research • Examine whether the 3 factors are associated with different: - Antecedents - Outcomes • The conceptual distinction of 3 factors of neglect should be empirically demonstrated