Improving the assessment of anxiety and depression in young people with cerebral palsy: Investigating screening procedures and understanding experiences of seeking help

Lead: Associate Professor Melissa Mulraney, Department of Paediatrics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood physical disability worldwide. While the physical challenges posed by CP are well-documented, there is increasing awareness that young people with CP are particularly vulnerable to mental health difficulties. The absence of valid screening tools to identify mental health disorders in young people with CP represents a significant health inequity for this population.

This project will, for the first time, examine the validity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the mhGAP, a clinician-administered screening measure that aims to build capacity for healthcare providers to respond to mental health issues, against a validated diagnostic interview the Developmental and Wellbeing Assessment (DAWBA).