2024 · Study · English
The German Communities That Care Youth Survey: dimensionality and validity of risk factors
Reder, M., Runge, R. A., Schlüter, H., & Soellner, R.
Reder, M., Runge, R. A., Schlüter, H., & Soellner, R. (2024). The German Communities That Care Youth Survey: dimensionality and validity of risk factors. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, Article 1472347. doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1472347
Summary
Psychometric evaluation of the German Communities That Care Youth Survey, in use since 2008 but never formally tested for the dimensionality and validity of its adapted risk-factor scales. Using a sample of 1,911 pupils in grades 6 to 11 in Lower Saxony, the authors examined 23 risk-factor scales across the peer/individual, family, school and community domains. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFI, SRMR, RMSEA) assessed whether each scale is unidimensional, and latent regressions tested concurrent criterion validity against violent and delinquent behaviour, substance use and depressive symptoms. All evaluable risk factors showed acceptable to good fit and predicted violence, delinquency and substance use more strongly than depressive symptoms; two factors were unrelated to substance use and two to depressive symptoms. The authors conclude that most scales are unidimensional and valid, so the survey is a viable basis for a community risk profile, while factors that did not meet the criteria should be interpreted cautiously and monitored in future waves.