OCHS-EBS Scales
The Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales are a family of measurement tools that assess common child/youth mental health disorders. They include the original 52-item OCHS-EBS (youth & parent versions), a brief 25-item version called OCHS-EBS-B (parent version), and a version for Teachers called OCHS-EBS-T.
Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales (OCHS-EBS)
The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales (OCHS-EBS) is a 52-item parent and youth-reported checklist that provides valid and reliable dimensional and categorical measurement of 7 DSM-5 disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity, oppositional defiant, conduct, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, major depressive and social phobia disorders).
- To access the youth version: click here for printable and here for fillable versions
- To access the parent version: click here for printable and here for fillable versions
If you would like to access the scoring tool, please contact duncanlj@mcmaster.ca
A summary of the psychometric properties of the OCHS-EBS is available at the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions Measures Database website.
Research on the psychometric properties of the OCHS-EBS can be accessed below:
- The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales (OCHS-EBS) Part I: A Checklist for Dimensional Measurement of Selected DSM-5 Disorders (2019). The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. To access this article: click here for an open access link and here for a pdf version.
- The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales (OCHS-EBS) Part II: Psychometric Adequacy for Categorical Measurement of Selected DSM-5 Disorders (2019). The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. To access this article: click here for an open access link and here for a pdf version.
Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales-Brief Version (OCHS-EBS-B)
A 25-item version of the Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales, that provides valid and reliable categorical measurement of 3 problem domains: emotional, behavioural, and attentional.
- To access the parent version: click here for printable and here for fillable versions
- Updates regarding a youth version are forthcoming.
Research on the psychometric properties of the OCHS-EBS-B can be accessed below:
- The 25-Item Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales-Brief Version (OCHS-EBS-B): Test-Retest Reliability and Construct Validity When Used as Categorical Measures. To access this article: click here for an open access link and here for a pdf version.
Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales-Teacher Version (OCHS-EBS-T)
A 37-item version of the Ontario Child health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales to be used by teachers and school professionals provides dimensional measurement of six child psychiatric disorders based on DSM-5 criteria (attention deficit hyperactivity, oppositional defiant, conduct, generalized anxiety, major depressive and social phobia disorders).
- To access the teacher version: click here for printable and here for fillable versions
Languages
If you are interested in translating the scales to another language, please contact duncanlj@mcmaster.ca
Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales-French Version (OCHS-EBS-F)
André Plamondon at Laval University is piloting a revised French translation of the OCHS-EBS. Updates regarding the French version of the scales are forthcoming. If you have questions about the OCHS-EBS-F, please contact André Plamondon at andre.plamondon@fse.ulaval.ca
Mental Health Questionnaire for Children and Youth (MHQ-CY)
The Mental Health Questionnaire for Children and Youth (MHQ-CY) uses the OCHS-EBS and associated population norms to assess mental health disorder symptoms. The MHQ-CY refers to a suite of brief, self-completed questionnaires for youth (aged 12 to 17) and parents/caregivers (of children/youth aged 4 to 17), which assess the characteristics and mental health-related needs of children/youth and their families seeking help from children’s mental health agencies in Ontario.
The MHQ-CY creates a process for collecting information directly from youth and parents/caregivers that can be used clinically, administratively, and for evaluation, quality improvement, and research.
There are 10 versions of the MHQ-CY:
* If you would like to learn more about the Mental Health Questionnaire for Children and Youth (MHQ-CY), please contact duncanlj@mcmaster.ca