https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143617 2026-08-11T11:36:20Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148379 Title: The validity and reliability of the parent-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire with kindergarten children in Indonesia Authors: Mukmini, Amirul; Sumanto, Reni Pawestuti Ambari; Pranoto, Yuli Kurniawati Sugiyo Abstract: Early detection of mental health issues is critical for students’ academic success, particularly in rural areas in the post–COVID-19 period. This study aims to validate the five-factor structure of the Indonesian parent-rated version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for kindergarten students in a rural context. Using a purposive sampling technique, data were collected from 300 parents of children enrolled in kindergartens from rural areas in each subdistrict capital. Data were analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) in JASP software. The five-factor model demonstrated acceptable fit indices: CFI (0.916), TLI (0.905), and RMSEA (0.070). The SRMR value (0.113) indicated residual variance that warrants attention. The highest reliability values were observed on the Prosocial Behavior and Hyperactivity subscales, as estimated using McDonald's Omega. The data suggests that the Indonesian parent-rated SDQ is a reliable screening instrument for use in rural settings; however, caution is required in view of the low reliability of some of the subscales and high residual variance as indicated by the SRMR. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148101 Title: The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) and the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) : Adaptations and applications beyond the United States Authors: Freitas, Lucas C. Abstract: The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) and the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), including the SEL Edition and Brief Scales, are widely used instruments for assessing children’s social skills, problem behaviours, and academic competence. This narrative overview synthesizes 195 international studies (1995–2025) applying these instruments with children and adolescents outside the United States. Studies were examined for publication trends, geographic distribution, instrument versions, informants, age ranges, participant characteristics, settings, languages, and study purposes, based on a comprehensive search of six databases, with supplementary searches identifying additional studies. Europe, the Americas, and Asia were the most represented regions, with Brazil, Canada, Australia, Iran, and Portugal contributing over half of all research. The SSRS and SSIS parent and teacher reports were most common, and school age children (6–12 years) in mainstream settings were most frequently studied. Studies primarily focused on screening and assessment, including correlational analyses, followed by intervention evaluations, and, finally, adaptation and psychometric investigations. Findings highlight the global reach, versatility, and cross-cultural relevance of SSRS–SSIS instruments while identifying gaps for future research. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146032 Title: Animated situational judgement to assess students’ learning about wellbeing Authors: Scully, Darina; Crosbie, Nisha; O’Brien, Deirdre; O’Leary, Michael Abstract: Although wellbeing and social and emotional education are key components of many school curricula worldwide, there is a lack of resources to support classroom-based assessment of students’ curricular knowledge about wellbeing. This paper outlines the systematic development and validation of the Wellbeing Situational Judgement Test (WB-SJT), an animated, scenario-based assessment of students’ learning about wellbeing in the context of the Irish lower secondary Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum. Validation data (n = 316) demonstrate acceptable psychometric properties, high face validity, and positive criterion-related associations with students’ levels of connectedness, happiness and overall psychosocial function. The potential of the WB-SJT for both formative and summative assessment purposes is discussed, along with broader implications for schools’ wellbeing education. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146031 Title: The relationship between alexithymia levels and emotional and linguistic abilities in female adolescents Authors: Artuso, Caterina; Farina, Eleonora; Belacchi, Carmen Abstract: The association between alexithymia, the difficulty in identifying, processing, and describing emotions, and linguistic competencies, particularly definitional skills, has received scant attention in research. The present study sought to investigate the bidirectional association between alexithymia and word-definition ability -a metalinguistic and metarepresentational form of explicit verbal competence- while also considering the contributions of emotional intelligence, conceptualised as implicit psychological dimensions. A sample of Italian female adolescents (N = 886; M age = 16.2 years) completed the Italian version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), a performance-based measure of emotional intelligence, and the Co.De. Scale, which evaluates the formal and content-related quality of definitions of primary and secondary emotion terms. We found an association between poorer word-definition performance and higher alexithymia scores, but also a unique negative relationship with the externally oriented thinking component. Preliminary evidence indicates the existence of a metalanguage/meta representative deficit as levels of alexithymia increase. The results highlight the value of assessing and strengthening definitional competence in emotional language as an early indicator of alexithymia risk and as a foundation for preventive and clinical interventions amongst adolescents. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z