In order to ensure its reliability and validity, the first version of the PsychProfiler was subjected to a series of rigorous psychometric analyses over a number of years. This process involved validation against a large mainstream sample (n>1000) as well as clinical calibration against individuals with formal diagnoses. All analyses found the PsychProfiler to be a highly reliable and valid screening instrument.
Further more, as the PsychProfiler originated from Dr Langsford’s PhD thesis, its initial version has been critically reviewed by multiple well-regarded international experts and an indication of its psychometric prowess and differentiation from other instruments was provided by Associate Professor Stuart McNaughton, from the University of Auckland, who stated:
“The careful development and testing of the self-report instrument provides the educational / clinical community with a very useful tool that can increase early sensitivity and overcomes previously existing problems in screening for morbidity.”
Similarly, Dr Terry de Jong, University of Cape Town, South Africa, stated:
“The validity and reliability checks were thorough, such as those pertaining to the readability of the CAPP and the triangulation method applied. What an invaluable contribution it is to the profession.”
Subsequent versions of the PsychProfiler have continued to have their psychometric properties investigated both internally and by independent entities such as the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).
In 2009, ACER conducted a comprehensive investigation of the psychometric properties of the Child and Adolescent PsychProfiler (CAPP) using the Rasch model and reported:
“Overall, the Rasch analysis has found the CAPP to be psychometrically sound with adequate internal consistency, reliability and construct validity.”
Please click here if you would like to view the ACER Research Report.
Another large reliability and validity project investigating the psychometric properties of the current version of the PsychProfiler has been taking place over the course of 2019. This has involved the collection of PsychProfiler results as well as the results of other instruments (e.g., Conners, Beck-YI, DSM-5-TR) from the same individual for the purpose of assessing its concurrent validity.
430 children and adolescents (aged 6 to 17) and 283 adults (aged 18 to 76), were recruited to take part in a study aimed to examine the Concurrent Validity of the PsychProfiler.
Concurrent Validity is a type of Criterion Validity and measures how well an instrument compares with another established psychometrically valid test. From the same individual, at the same time point, the following test data was collected:Child and Adolescent:
- Self, Parent, and Teacher-report PsychProfiler results
- Self, Parent, and Teacher-report Conners 3 ADHD checklist results
- Self-report Beck Youth Inventory-II results
- Parent-report DSM-5-TR ADHD checklist results
- WIAT-III academic achievement results
Adult:
- Self and Observer-report PsychProfiler results
- Self and Observer-report Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale Results
- Self-report Socioemotional Questionnaire results
- Self-report DSM-5 ADHD checklist results
- WIAT-III academic achievement results
Data Entry and Analysis
The data was entered into a spreadsheet by a team of data entry operators.
The analyses were conducted by an experienced independent analyst, Dr David Lawrence, Principal Research Fellow, University of Western Australia.
Results Summary
Dr Lawrence has concluded:
“The results obtained from this large study illustrate that the PsychProfiler is an instrument displaying appropriate Concurrent Validity across all of the disorders investigated; for both the Child and Adolescent PsychProfiler (CAPP) and Adult PsychProfiler (APP).”
RECENT PUBLICATIONS IN PEER-REFEREED JOURNALS:
Gomez, R., Langsford, S., Houghton, S., & Karimi, L. (2025). Psychometric properties of the Child and Adolescent PsychProfiler: Self-report Form. Assessment. 1, 1-11.
“Overall, the present findings from adolescents’ self-reports support the 17-factor model. In addition, acceptable reliability was obtained for all the factors in this model, therefore, the findings indicate the CAPP-SRF possesses acceptable psychometric properties. The CAPP-SRF screens for criteria that represent the diagnostic criteria of the current DSM-5-TR (APA, 2022), and it can assist in obtaining more reliable future diagnoses, including differential diagnosis and information about comorbidity (Langsford et al., 2014). Therefore, the CAPP-SRF is deemed appropriate for clinical and research use for the screening of DSM-5-TR disorders among adolescents.”
Langsford, S., Gomez, R., Houghton, S., & Karimi, L. (2024). Psychometric properties of the Child and Adolescent PsychProfiler v5: a measure for screening 14 of the most common DSM-5 disorders. Frontiers in Psychology. 15, 1-10.
“In summary, the findings obtained from parents of adolescents in the current study supported the 17-factor model. Moreover, all of the factors in this model showed acceptable reliability (alpha and omega coefficients, and discriminant and criterion validity). Overall, therefore the findings indicated acceptable psychometric properties for the CAPP-PRF. Given that a major feature of the CAPP is that it screens for criteria that closely resemble the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth Edition (DSM-5: American Psychiatric Association, 2013), it can contribute to more reliable diagnoses, including the provision of differential diagnosis and comorbidity information (Langsford et al., 2014). Therefore, in light of the CAPP-PRF’s acceptable psychometric properties and other valuable clinical characteristics, it is deemed suitable for clinical and research use for the screening of DSM-5 disorders among adolescents.”
The PsychProfiler can easily be completed online.
Simply click through and opt for Single Use to get started:
