Assessing the YAM-5 and PeSSKi questionnaires as tools for mental health screening in migrant children ages 7–12 years living on the Thailand-Myanmar border

Abstract

Background: Migrant children face worse health outcomes due to structural inequalities and stressors specific to migratory status. In Southeast Asia, there are limited data regarding the prevalence of mental health disorders and symptoms of stress within the paediatric migrant population. Screening tools such as the Youth Anxiety Measure for DSM-5 (YAM-5) and the Perceived Stress Scale for Kids (PeSSKi) have been validated in non-migrant child populations. They may offer a practical means of detecting symptoms of anxiety and stress in migrant children in Southeast Asia. However, their suitability first must be assessed in Southeast Asian migrant communities before studies on validation can be performed. Methods: This qualitative study used cognitive interviews and semi-structured interviews to assess the understanding and applicability of these two tools amongst migrant children from Myanmar aged 7–12 years living in Tak, a Northwestern province in Thailand bordering Myanmar, to inform any necessary adaptations to improve useability prior to validation studies. Results: Interviews with 10 children indicated a good level of understanding of most ofthe surveys’ contents, with 21 of the 28 questions on YAM-5 and 7 of the 10 PeSSKi questions needing no further clarification in any session. Four themes emerged from analysis of the semi-structured interviews: areas of uncertainty, understanding of the purpose of the questionnaires, sources of fear and anxiety and attitudes to mental wellbeing. Observational analysis of children’s behaviour during participation suggested the surveys were engaging and useable. Conclusions: The YAM-5 and PeSKKi screening surveys have good useability amongst migrant children living along the Thailand-Myanmar border and may be appropriate for eliciting symptoms of stress. They must next be validated to assess their psychometric properties and internal consistency and reliability in the same population. Trial registration: Thai Clinical Trials Registry, HCR23005, registered on 02 May 2023.