Cross-cultural validation of the Urdu translation of the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents among children and adolescents at a Pakistani school

摘要

Objectives: There is a high prevalence of depressive disorders among children and adolescents globally, accounting for 45% of disability-adjusted life years among 10- to 24-yearolds. Although it has been recognized as a major public health concern in Pakistan, there have been no studies exploring the development or cross-cultural validation of instruments for screening and assessing the severity of adolescent depression. Therefore, the present study was designed to validate the Urdu translation of the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) among Pakistani children and adolescents.