Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Infants field trial: concurrent validity

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A review of Australian mental health services identified a gap in routine outcome measures addressing social, emotional and behavioural domains for pre-schoolers and infants. A Child and Adolescent Mental Health Information Development Expert Advisory Panel working group developed the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Infants (HoNOSI), a clinician-reported routine outcome measure for infants 0-47 months. Prior face validity testing showed that the HoNOSI was considered useful in measuring mental health outcomes. AIMS: To examine the concurrent validity of the HoNOSI. METHOD: Mental health clinicians providing assessment and treatment to infants in routine clinical practice participated in the study. The mental health status of 108 infants were rated by a minimum of 26 clinicians with the HoNOSI, the Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale (PIR-GAS) and measures of symptom severity and distress. RESULTS: The HoNOSI was statistically significantly correlated with the PIR-;GAS, rs = -0.73; Clinical Worry, rs = 0.77; and Severity Judgement ratings, rs = 0.85; P < 0.001. A good level of internal consistency was found. Using the COsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) criteria for judging instrument acceptability, the HoNOSI meets the standard for both concurrent validity and internal consistency. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a clear need for a routine outcome measure for use with infants. This study provides positive evidence of aspects of validity. These findings, along with those from the prior face validity study, support a controlled release of the HoNOSI accompanied by further research and development.2056-4724Brann, Peter <br />Orcid: 0000-0002-0402-5841 <br />Culjak, Gordana <br />Orcid: 0000-0002-2653-7661 <br />Kowalenko, Nick <br />Orcid: 0000-0002-0592-1218 <br />Dickson, Rosemary <br />Coombs, Tim <br />Orcid: 0000-0001-8275-4794 <br />Burgess, Philip <br />Orcid: 0000-0001-7184-0363 <br />Williams, Anne Sved <br />Orcid: 0000-0003-3060-0237 <br />Hoehn, Elisabeth <br />Orcid: 0000-0002-3396-8662 <br />Hoyland, Margaret <br />Orcid: 0000-0002-1593-7344 <br />Journal Article <br />BJPsych Open. 2021 Jul 12;7(4):e129. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2021.951. <br />