Nooyer, Karen de (2009) Content and Construct Validity of the Health of the Nation Scale for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA). Coursework Masters thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Research investigating the content and construct validity of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) is limited. The present investigation firstly explored the content validity of the HoNOSCA in two studies. The first study compared and contrasted the HoNOSCA against major developmental psychopathology theory and found that the scale contained some items reflecting family systems and developmental psychopathology theory but did not include items reflecting biological, cognitive and attachment theory. This absence challenges the content validity of the HoNOSCA. Part B of Study 1 explored the face validity of the HoNOSCA through a focus group discussion with Child and Youth Mental Health Service clinicians. The HoNOSCA was perceived by staff to reflect key features of diagnoses for the children and adolescents that they work with. The construct validity of the HoNOSCA was explored in Study 2. In Part A, responses from 245 participants were analysed. The Principle Components Analyses found the predicted fourfactor structure of the HoNOSCA could not be confirmed. Discriminant Function Analysis found the HoNOSCA could significantly discriminate between internalization and externalization disorders in children and adolescents. Profiles of mean scores illustrated different item elevation profiles for internalization (mood and anxiety disorders) and externalization (behavioural) disorders. Some initial normative data were collected in order to illustrate how useful standardized norms could be to practicing clinicians. In Part B of the study, 83 participants with the diagnosis of anxiety disorder were extracted from the sample. Further Discriminant Function Analyses revealed that the HoNOSCA could not discriminate between sub-types of anxiety disorders as diagnosed by the team. The content and construct validity of the HoNOSCA was then discussed and scale modifications were suggested that may improve the validity of the scale.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Coursework Masters) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Bramston, Paul |
| Qualification: | Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Mar 2026 01:15 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Mar 2026 01:15 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52620 |
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