The Me and My School Questionnaire: Examining the cross-cultural validity of a children’s self-report mental health measure

ABSTRACT

The Me and My School Questionnaire (M&MS) is a brief self-report measure of elementary school students’ (ages 8–12) social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. As there is a need for brief self-report screening measures for students in elementary, or primary, school, this study examined the factor structure and measurement invariance of the M&MS for elementary school students in the United States (U.S.; N = 784) and the U.K. (N = 538). Results replicated its two-factor structure (emotional difficulties and behavioral difficulties) with both samples. Convergent and discriminant validity, test–retest reliability, and measurement invariance for girls and boys were examined in the U.S. sample. Partial measurement invariance was established when comparing factor structures of the U.S. and U.K. samples. Implications for mental health monitoring, and for comparative international research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Elementary school
• mental health
• screening
• United States
• United Kingdom
• emotional and behavioral problems
• self-report

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kathryn Moffa

Kathryn Moffa, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Clinical Psychology at Boston Children’s Hospital and a graduate of the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Rhea Wagle

Rhea Wagle, M.Ed., is doctoral candidate in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Erin Dowdy

Erin Dowdy, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at the University of California Santa Barbara.

Olympia Palikara

Olympia Palikara is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Educational Psychology in the School of Education, University of Roehampton London.

Susana Castro

Susana Castro is a Senior Lecturer at Roehampton University London and a Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society).

Danielle Dougherty

Danielle Dougherty, Ph.D., is a school psychologist with Loudoun County Public Schools.

Michael J. Furlong

Michael J. Furlong, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Emeritus Professor and Research Professor, International Center for School Based Youth Development, University of California Santa Barbara.