Cross-national validity of the Beck Hopelessness Scale for children and adolescents: findings from the YouthSave-Impact Study Kenya

ABSTRACT

A sense of hopelessness is common but under-identified among poor children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Given the concomitant inadequate screening, assessment, and a lack of culturally and developmentally appropriate measures in much of SSA, identifying reliable and valid measures of hopelessness is needed. One promising candidate, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), has undergone limited evaluation in the region and none with non-adult populations. The present study assesses the psychometric properties of the BHS using data from a diverse sample of 3965 school-going youth (M = 12.2, SD = 1.1) in Kenya. Given inconclusive results from model comparisons of previously established factor structures, we used parallel analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis to ascertain the factor structure of the BHS in this sample. We also evaluated measurement invariance of the scale across two key developmental ages (9–12 and 13–18), given distinct cognitive and emotional differences. Models supported a one-factor 20-item structure with partial invariance across child and adolescent samples. Concurrent criterion validity correlations were in the small to medium range. Findings provide evidence of the utility of the BHS as a psychometrically sound measure that possesses cultural relevance to Kenyan youth.

KEYWORDS:

• Beck Hopelessness Scale
• youth
• psychosocial functioning
• sub-Saharan Africa
• factor analysis

Acknowledgments

The study builds on the findings from decade-long Suubi-Uganda youth economic empowerment programmes led by Fred Ssewamala, and YouthSave, a consortium project created in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation and led by Save the Children with the participation of the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis, the New America Foundation, and The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) (www.youthsave.org).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical approval

YouthSave-Impact Study Kenya has been granted ethics approval by Columbus University IRB (# IRB-AAAM1705). Informed assent and consent were obtained from all youth and caregivers included in the study. All procedures performed involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Authorship criteria and contributions

The corresponding author affirms that she has listed everyone who contributed significantly to this work. All authors have seen and agreed on the content of this manuscript, and have no competing interests. NK was responsible for writing the manuscript and for carrying out statistical analyses. FMS conceptualized and administered the YouthSave-Impact Study. GK was involved in literature review. MV rewrote sections of the paper and provided feedback on data analysis procedures. NB provided statistical consultation on the methods and data analysis. No honorarium, or other form of payment was given to anyone to produce this manuscript.

Previous presentations

This work has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere and will not be submitted unless it is formally withdrawn or rejected. A previous version of this work was presented at The 2nd Global Perspectives Conference on Adolescent Health and Economic Strengthening, New York, NY, May 12 2016.

Notes on contributors

Dr. Njeri Kagotho is an assistant professor at College of Social Work, Ohio State University.

Dr. Natasha K. Bowen is a professor at the College of Social Work and associate director at the Research Methodology Center in the College of Education and Human Ecology, Ohio State University.

Dr. Fred M. Ssewamala is professor at the Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis and founding director of International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD).

Michael G. Vaughn is director and professor of Social Work at Saint Louis University's College for Public Health and Social Justice.

Gwyneth Kirkbride is a research associate, International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD).

Additional information

Funding

This research is funded by Columbia University’s International Center for Child Health and Asset Development (ICHAD) and the Center for Social Development (CSD) at Washington University.