Citation

Sahaimi MF, Mat Pa MN, Taib F. Malays. J. Med. Sci. 2020; 27(4): 97-107.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia)

DOI

10.21315/mjms2020.27.4.9

PMID

32863749 PMCID

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment is a global problem, for which the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) has developed the Child Abuse Screening Tool-Child, Home Version (ICAST-CH) to obtain data concerning childhood maltreatment. The study aimed to translate the English version of the ICAST-CH into the Malay language and to assess its reliability and validity.

Methods: The original English version of the ICAST-CH was first translated into the Malay language. Its content and face validity were tested among five independent individuals. A cross-sectional study using the Malay version (ICAST-CH-M) was then conducted with 255 students in a secondary school in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. The data collected was used to examine the instrument's internal consistency and construct validity. The best ICAST-CH-M model was achieved after varimax rotation application.

Results: The analysis showed that the Malay version of the ICAST-CH had satisfactory internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.59-0.77. The exploratory factor analysis confirmed the validity of the underlying constructs into five domains in the Malay version, but they had to be re-classified as 'physical and psychological abuse', 'neglect', 'sexual abuse', 'exposure to domestic violence' and 'exposure to community violence'.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the ICAST-CH-M is satisfactorily reliable and valid for measuring child maltreatment in Malaysia.

Language: en

Keywords

maltreatment; reliability; child abuse; validity; instrument