Validating a Brief Student Distress Measure For Schoolwide Wellness Surveillance - Assessment for Effective Intervention 2023 - Vol. 48(3) 159-169

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran

The original Social Emotional Distress Survey–Secondary (SEDS-S) measures adolescents’ past-month psychological distress. This study evaluated a five-item SEDS-S-Brief for school-based surveillance of student wellness. Three samples tested validity through internal structure, relations to other variables, and annual response stability. Measurement invariance held across sex, grade level, and Latinx status, with moderate to strong convergent and discriminant validity and 1- and 2-year temporal stability. Results support comprehensive school mental health surveillance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose and rationale

Samples and study design

Validity evidence and findings

Implications for school mental health surveillance

Validating a Brief Student Distress Measure For Schoolwide Wellness Surveillance Assessment for Effective Intervention 2023, Vol. 48(3) 159–169 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2022 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/15345084221138947](DOI: 10.1177/15345084221138947)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/15345084221138947)[aei.sagepub.com](aei.sagepub.com) Erin Dowdy, PhD 1, Michael J. Furlong, PhD 1, Karen Nylund-Gibson, PhD 1, Dina Arch, MA 1, Tameisha Hinton, MEd 1, and Delwin Carter, MA 1 Abstract The original Social Emotional Distress Survey–Secondary (SEDS-S) assesses adolescents’ past month’s experiences of psychological distress. Given the continued need for and use of brief measures of student social-emotional distress, this study examined a five-item version (SEDS-S-Brief) to evaluate its use for surveillance of adolescents’ wellness in schools. Three samples completed the SEDS-S-Brief. Sample 1 was a cross-sectional sample of 105,771 students from 113 California secondary schools; responses were used to examine validity evidence based on internal structure. Sample 2 consisted of 10,770 secondary students who also completed the Social Emotional Health Survey-Secondary-2020, Mental Health Continuum–Short Form, Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale, and selected Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance items (chronic sadness and suicidal ideation). Sample 2 responses examined validity evidence based on relations to other variables. Sample 3 consisted of 773 secondary students who completed the SEDS-S-Brief annually for 3 years, providing response stability coefficients. The SEDS-S-Brief was invariant across students based on sex, grade level, and Latinx status, supporting its use across diverse groups in schools. Additional analyses indicated moderate to strong convergent and discriminant validity characteristics and 1 - and 2-year temporal stability. The findings advance the field toward comprehensive mental health surveillance practices to inform services for youth in schools. Keywords social-emotional distress survey, surveillance, psychological distress, school-based, mental health The December 2021 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory provided a direct call to action in support of youth mental health, identifying schools as a critical setting for supporting the mental health of all students. Staggering statistics from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) of the Centers for Disease Control indicate that one in three students in high school has reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, with an increase of 40% from 2009 to 2019 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021) . Similarly, there was a significant increase in suicidal behaviors, with approximately one in six students making a suicide plan in 2019, representing a 44% increase since 2009. Additional research has shown significant increases in anxiety, depression, and other post-traumatic symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (de Miranda et al., 2020), with substantial negative impacts on students from marginalized and minoritized communities (Song et al., 2021) . As the awareness of youths’ mental health challenges among adolescents gain recognition as a public health concern, schools and communities must have appropriate epidemiological surveillance tools for all students. They need practical measures with strong evidence supporting their use to assess current needs accurately and monitor youth mental health trends. Surveillance measures are helpful to monitor the prevalence of conditions (e.g., sadness, suicidality) within a population (e.g., nationwide, statewide, or schoolwide), measure progress toward achieving health objectives, assess trends in behaviors, or evaluate the impact of interventions at a population-based level (Kann, 2001) . Relatedly, school-based mental health screening has been advised as a p

FAQs

What is the purpose of the SEDS-S-Brief in schools?

The SEDS-S-Brief is a five-item measure designed to support surveillance of adolescents’ social-emotional distress and overall school wellness needs.

How was validity evidence for SEDS-S-Brief gathered?

Validity was examined using three samples: internal structure, relations to other variables, and response stability across annual assessments over three years.

Does SEDS-S-Brief perform consistently across student groups?

Yes. The measure was invariant across sex, grade level, and Latinx status, supporting use across diverse school groups.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran