Validez de criterio de la escala de salud del niño

Quality of care in mental health for children depends, not only on specialized mental health services, but also on how effectively primary care providers (e.g. pediatricians and teachers) identify, treat and refer children with emotional and behavioral problems. There is evidence that the utilization of screening devices for different psychosocial problems increases the primary care practitioner's attention upon such problems, and improves their detection. This is a review of some of the efforts that have been made across countries in order to provide primary care workers with assessment devices for child psychiatric disorders and a description of some of the main instruments developed for such a purpose. Data on the empirical validation of The Children's Health Scale, a screening devise developed in Guatemala for use in primary care facilities,and based on international diagnostic criteria, are discussed. Results of its criterion validity, reliability, sensitivity and specificity suggest that The Children's Health Scale is an adequate instrument for the detection of psychosocial cases in primary care.