Investigating the construct validity of the SPAI-C: comparing the sensitivity and specificity of the SPAI-C and the SAS-A.

Investigates the construct validity of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C) by comparing its sensitivity and specificity with another self-report measure of social anxiety, the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). Participants were 252 adolescents (124 males and 128 females) 13-17 years old. Adolescents completed the SPAI-C and the SAS-A and were interviewed using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV: Child Version (ADIS-IV:C). Parents were also interviewed and composite diagnoses were formed. Youth were classified as socially phobic or non-anxious based on these composite diagnoses. By comparing clinical cutoff scores with diagnostic group classification, the sensitivity and the specificity of the SPAI-C and SAS-A were compared. Results indicated that the SPAI-C was a more sensitive measure than the SAS-A (61.5% vs. 43.6%) providing evidence of the scale's construct validity. The two measures were similar with regard to specificity (82.7% for both). Implications of these results for assessment and research are discussed.

Understanding mental health needs of Southeast Asian refugees: historical, cultural, and contextual challenges.

Research and clinical information pertaining to mental health needs of Asians residing in the United States is limited but growing. There is a tendency to group all persons of Asian descent together and, therefore, the empirical literature does not sufficiently address the mental health needs in specific subgroups. The focus of this article is to understand the mental health needs of one subgroup of Asians--Southeast Asian refugees (SEAR). The main purpose is to review the relevant literature pertaining to Southeast Asian refugees' experiences and to understand the manifestation of psychiatric disorders by examining historical, cultural, and contextual challenges. Despite the well-documented mental health needs for SEAR, most do not present for mental health services. Therefore, resilience and protective factors are discussed. Research and clinical implications are described and suggestions are offered on how to apply information obtained from Southeast Asian refugees' experiences to future refugees.