# Development and validation of the caregiver-report version of the international depression questionnaire (IDQ-CG) and international anxiety questionnaire (IAQ-CG)

## TL;DR

Researchers developed and validated caregiver-report versions of questionnaires to assess depression and anxiety in children, showing they work well in a Ukrainian context.

## Contribution

The study introduces and validates caregiver-report versions of the IDQ and IAQ for assessing child mental health in conflict-affected settings.

## Key findings

- The IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG showed strong internal reliability and unidimensional structure.
- Higher scores were linked to factors like trauma exposure and disrupted life due to war.
- Only 1.6% and 5.8% of children met criteria for depression and anxiety, respectively.

## Abstract

The International Depression Questionnaire (IDQ) and International Anxiety Questionnaire (IAQ) are self-report measures of ICD-11 single episode depressive disorder (DD) and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). The present study sought to describe the development and psychometric evaluation of the caregiver-report versions of the IDQ and IAQ for children, referred to as the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG, respectively. Participants were 639 parents living in Ukraine who provided data on themselves and one child in their household as part of “The Mental Health of Parents and Children in Ukraine Study: 2023 Follow-up” study. The latent structure of the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), composite reliability (CR) estimates were estimated, and convergent validity was assessed. Prevalence rates of probable ICD-11 DD and GAD were also estimated. CFA results indicated that the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG were unidimensional, while the internal reliability of both scales was excellent. Convergent validity was established via associations with external measures of internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems as well as trauma exposure. Factors associated with increased IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG scores included pharmacological support for emotional or behavioural problems, delayed milestone development, being forced to move to another part of Ukraine, serious life disruption due to the war, and having experienced a bereavement. Of the total sample, 1.6% met diagnostic requirements for ICD-11 DD and 5.8% met diagnostic requirements for ICD-11 GAD. This study supports the psychometric properties of the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG. These measures can be effectively used to identify young people in need of mental health support.