An Innovative Youth-Friendly Electronic Questionnaire to Identify Mental, Sexual and Reproductive Health Risks: A Validation Study of the Total Teen Assessment.

BACKGROUND

The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend screenings during adolescents' annual preventive health appointments. However, the literature reports only 50% completion at their last appointment, with less than half of providers discussing recommended health topics. Barriers such as time constraints and discomfort contribute to low completion rates. The Total Teen (TT) Assessment is a novel approach utilising an online questionnaire to assess adolescent health needs related to sexual and reproductive health, mental health and substance use behaviours.

METHODS

A three-phase psychometric development and validation study was completed to investigate the TT Assessment's validity and reliability. Phase 1 focused on scale development, Phase 2 validated content with patients and healthcare providers and Phase 3 utilised psychometric testing to ensure the scale adequately assessed its intended domains.

RESULTS

Parallel analysis conducted on the correlation matrix extracted three total factors: Factor 1: sexual health, Factor 2: mental health and Factor 3: substance use. The TT Assessment is a statistically and clinically valid instrument used to easily evaluate adolescent needs related to sexual, reproductive and mental health. Quantitative psychometric analyses revealed its soundness, while qualitative investigations revealed its clinical relevance and diagnostic accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS

The TT Assessment is an innovative instrument that can be easily adapted to assess the needs of adolescent patients, as their health needs often go unnoticed until they require severe clinical intervention. The TT Assessment helps providers identify sexual, reproductive and mental needs early so they can help reduce the likelihood of major issues.